Diagram and factbox on the pancreas and pancreatic cancer. (SIN03)
Diagram and factbox on the pancreas and pancreatic cancer. (SIN03) Reuters Graphics

Xavier Hames, a 4-year-old West Australian boy, has received the world's first artificial pancreas and is the first patient to use the device after it went through the clinical trials. Researchers have said that this had been done for the treatment of type 1 diabetes, a condition that can affect anyone but usually develops during childhood. The date of when the procedure was conducted was not known.

The device was an insulin pump system and was meant to replace the need for the frequent management of type 1 diabetes, which was usually in the form of daily injections. The health department of Western Australia issued a statement on Jan 21, stating that the technology mimicked the actual function of the pancreas.

The technology also worked in such a manner that it predicted low glucose levels and stopped the delivery of the insulin, reported Yahoo News. The working of the device in this manner would help avoid serious consequences related to low glucose like seizure, coma or potential death.

The device looked like an mp3 player. The device was attached to Xavier's body with the help of several tubes that were inserted under his skin.

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation(JDRF), a major charitable organisation, had funded the research after which the procedure was conducted. JDRF said that the technology tracked glucose levels as well as stopped insulin delivery for a span of up to 30 minutes before a predicted hypoglycemic attack takes place.

Professor Tim Jones is a clinical professor at the University of Western Australia, the head of the Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes at the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children in Perth as well as one of the lead doctors of the study. He said that the hypoglycemic attacks were sparked by low glucose levels and took place at night when there were high chances of the patients not being able to recognise or react to the episode that could potentially be fatal.

Jones explained that the device could predict the attack before it happens and could in turn prevent the delivery of insulin prior to a predicted event. He added that the device would also resume the delivery of insulin when the glucose levels recover. He said that this was a real medical breakthrough.

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