Yale New Haven Hospital is the first hospital in the world to offer hybrid closed loop technology to people with type 1 diabetes

14-year old Branford CT female is the first pediatric patient

NEW HAVEN, CT (April 6, 2017) – Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH) is among the first hospitals in the world to offer the first FDA-approved hybrid closed loop system – the MiniMed® 670G system – for the treatment of Type 1 diabetes. This advanced system is the first insulin pump to automatically deliver a personalized amount of background (basal) insulin needed by the body 24 hours a day. For type 1 patients who don’t have the ability to produce insulin like those with a healthy pancreas, this system will learn the patients insulin needs via an intelligent algorithm and deliver a tailored amount of insulin every 5 minutes to maximize the time their glucose levels stay in a healthy range.

“Our team in pediatric endocrinology and diabetes has been at the leading edge of clinical research, patient care, and helping to bring new technologies to people with diabetes for decades,” said Stuart Weinzimer, MD, pediatric endocrinology at Yale New Haven Hospital and professor of pediatrics at Yale Medicine and lead investigator of the research studies at Yale that led to the approval of the hybrid closed-loop system. “We’re very proud to be the first hospital in the world to use this device, bringing together cutting-edge research and outstanding patient-centered care. We believe this will not only be a life changer for this first patient and her family, but a transformative moment for of all people with type 1 diabetes and their loved ones."

The MiniMed 670G system  features the new Guardian® Sensor 3, Medtronic's newest and most advanced glucose sensor with enhanced accuracy and performance, and a longer 7-day life. The system is approved for patients with type 1 diabetes ages 14 years of age or older. The first pediatric patient to use this system was put on this technology at YNHH and Yale Medicine with the patient’s pediatric endocrinologist, Jennifer Sherr MD, PhD on March 27, 2017. Claire Bickel, a 14 year old from Branford, CT was this patient. 

“Our pediatric diabetes team has known Claire and her family since the time of her diagnosis nearly 10 years ago. It was outstanding that Claire was the first pediatric patient to initiate hybrid closed loop insulin delivery,” said Dr. Sherr, endocrinology at YNHH and assistant professor of pediatric endocrinology at the pediatric diabetes program at the Yale School of Medicine. “For patients like Claire, this system will enable those with Type 1 diabetes to not only better manage their care with fewer swings in blood sugar levels and protection from low blood sugars, given the dynamic insulin delivery this system affords.  Even more importantly, it will allow people living with this chronic medical condition to offset the burden of daily management to these devices.  It will afford more restful sleep and allow our patients in the pediatric practice to do what their primary job is, be kids. This system takes guesswork out of the process and allows patients to lead normal lives.” 

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that results when the pancreas stops making insulin. Of those who live with diabetes, about 5 percent have type 1 diabetes and the prevalence is growing with approximately 1.25 million American children and adults affected.

A link to the Medtronic page with images of the device and video of the device’s application and use can be found here: 
http://www.medtronic.com/us-en/about/news/media-resources/media-kits/minimed-670g-hybrid-closed-loop-system.html

The MiniMed 670G System is the first and only device approved by the FDA to automatically deliver a personalized amount of basal insulin24 hours a day. The system features Medtronic’s most advanced algorithm to date, SmartGuard® HCL. This intelligent algorithm is designed to learn an individual’s needs and deliver a variable rate of insulin every five minutes, maximizing the time glucose levels are within the target range. This first of its kind hybrid closed loop system is integrated with the company’s new Guardian Sensor 3 – Medtronic’s most accurate sensor to date with longer seven day wear. The system is FDA approved for the treatment of people with type 1 diabetes ages 14 years and older.

Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH), part of Yale New Haven Health, is a nationally recognized, 1,541-bed, not-for-profit hospital serving as the primary teaching hospital for the Yale School of Medicine (YSM). Founded as the fourth voluntary hospital in the U.S. in 1826, today, YNHH has two New Haven-based campuses, and also includes Yale New Haven Children's Hospital, Yale New Haven Psychiatric Hospital and Smilow Cancer Hospital. YNHH has received Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the nation’s highest honor of nursing excellence. YNHH has a combined medical staff of about 4,500 university and community physicians practicing in more than 100 specialties. www.ynhh.org