Diabetic patients might no longer require insulin injections; UAE medical professionals discuss a potential safe replacement.
Aleart to the Diabetic Community: Islet Cell Transplantation Offers a Promising Future
Exciting developments in diabetes treatment are here, with many diabetic patients worldwide saying goodbye to insulin injections or using them less frequently thanks to a simple surgical procedure called islet cell transplantation.
Dr. Tahra Abdalla Al Ali, a renowned pediatrician based in the UAE, shared her optimism, stating that "50 per cent of patients with Type 1 diabetes - who typically rely on insulin injections - have been cured through 'islet cell transplantation'." This miraculous treatment cures the pancreas's inability to produce insulin, offering diabetics a future without the need for constant insulin management.
In a series of 25 cases, pancreatic cells were transplanted, with an impressive success rate of 85 per cent. Of this group, 50 per cent have completely stopped using medication, while the remaining group members use injections at lower doses and less frequently.
A Treatment for All Diabetic Patients?
Originally aimed at benefiting individuals over the age of 20 who suffered from the complications of diabetes and had difficulty maintaining healthy levels for an extended period, islet cell transplantation may soon prove beneficial to all diabetic patients.
How Does It work?
Islet cell transplantation involves the transplantation of pancreatic cells extracted from donors. These cells are studied in specialized laboratories to ensure their safety before being injected into the patient via a catheter-like method through the skin into a vein and transplanted onto the liver. The transplanted cells help restore and regulate blood sugar levels, preventing severe, life-threatening hypoglycemia episodes and allowing patients to eliminate their daily insulin injections.
A Safe and Simple Treatment Option
Compared to complete pancreas transplants, islet cell transplantation is considered a safer and more straightforward treatment method, avoiding surgical complications such as organ rejection and bleeding.
The Emirates Health Services (EHS) and the University of Chicago collaborate to treat patients from the UAE, either abroad or by inviting experts to the country to provide care.
Limitations Remain
Although the procedure holds great promise, its broader clinical use remains limited due to the need for lifelong immunosuppression and the scarcity of suitable donor cells. Dr. Patanjali Panduranga, an endocrinologist at Aster Hospital, emphasized this point:
"Although the procedure has shown promising results, including insulin independence in up to 50 per cent of recipients, its broader clinical use remains limited due to the need for lifelong immunosuppression and the scarcity of suitable donor cells."
Still, there is hope! Researchers are exploring ways to increase the availability of donor cells, including the use of stem cell-derived islets, currently under trial. These developments represent a new dawn in diabetes care, where islet cell transplantation serves as a vital option for patients struggling with the demands of insulin therapy.
As research advances, improvements in immunosuppression, donor matching, and cell supply are expected to make this treatment more widely available.
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- The latest news in diabetes treatment is the promising development of islet cell transplantation, a surgery that could potentially cure Type 1 diabetes for 50% of patients.
- Islet cell transplantation, which involves the transplantation of pancreatic cells, holds great promise not only for older patients with diabetes complications but may soon benefit all diabetic patients.
- In the realm of health and wellness, this treatment offers patients a future without the constant need for insulin management, as it cures the pancreas's inability to produce insulin.
- Lifestyle changes and food choices play a crucial role in managing diabetes, yet therapies and treatments like islet cell transplantation could provide a more permanent solution for chronic diseases such as Type-2 diabetes.
- Medical advancements in the field of science, like the exploration of stem cell-derived islets currently under trial, offer hope for increasing the availability of donor cells, ultimately making islet cell transplantation a viable treatment option for more diabetes patients in the future.
