Implantable insulin infusion pumps: a case presentation

A case is presented of a young woman implanted with a programmable implantable medication system (PIMS). Implanted insulin pumps have been the subject of research for over a decade but have encountered a series of obstacles ranging from design problems to insulin aggregation to catheter blocking from omental tissue. Many of these problems, but not all, have been overcome. Implanted insulin pumps are still in a developmental phase. Glucose sensing is not yet available. Nevertheless, PIMS has demonstrated in this case that it can safely and effectively control insulin-dependent diabetes for over 1.5 years.