Implantable glucose sensors: present status and future developments.

Abstract

Implantable glucose sensors are the basis for the development of implantable closed loop systems for glucose control in diabetic patients. Despite the efforts of several research groups in the last thirty years, implantable glucose sensors for long-term use in diabetic patients are not available at this time. Until now, these research efforts resulted in the development of systems for short-term glucose measurement in the skin. Two systems measure glucose in the subcutaneous tissue by means of electroenzymatic needle electrodes or by microdialysis coupled to external sensor systems, one system measures glucose on the surface of the skin in interstitial fluid sampled by transdermal iontophoresis. At this time none of these systems allows glucose monitoring in daily clinical practice with sufficient accuracy. Moreover, most systems only allow retrospective data analysis. In case that present technical shortcomings of short-term sensors can be solved, they might be useful for improvement of diabetes therapy in selected clinical situations.