Treating Type 2 diabetes with Endoscopy – watch this space

Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder involving the hormones that regulate blood sugar, leading to blood sugar levels that are higher than normal. It affects over 350 million people worldwide, and it is a progressive condition that worsens over time. The first stage of managing diabetes is through diet and exercise. Most people eventually require drugs, and potentially even insulin, to lower their blood sugar. While medications may lower blood glucose levels for a time, they do not fundamentally curb the progression of the disease.

The human intestine is fundamental in the way we manage our blood sugar. New physiologic lessons highlight the role of intestine hormones in contributing to insulin resistance.

There is an exciting new endoscopic procedure that is currently under clinical investigation. A company in America have developed a device-based endoscopic procedure that directly addresses this intestinal hormonal impairment with an outpatient therapy. Duodenal Mucosal Resurfacing™ (DMR) is a non-invasive therapeutic procedure intended to safely remodel the duodenal mucosa (lining of the small bowel) with thermal ablation. The system is designed to alter the body’s ability to process sugar and dramatically improve glycemic control for patients with Type 2 diabetes.

 Imagine a scenario where someone with Type 2 diabetes can have a day case endoscopic procedure to treat their diabetes and not need any tablets.

I am going to be the heading up a team at University college hospital as part of a multi-centre European study in the new year to investigate this new procedure in a select few patients. I am very excite about the potential outcomes and will keep you informed on these pages.