Insulin pump used at 10,000 feet to treat 12-year diabetic girl

Dipender Manta

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Tribune News Service

Mandi, August 17

Doctor Jatinder Kumar Mokta, Professor Medicine, IGMC, Shimla achieved a rare feat for the treatment of a type 1 diabetes patient by using for the first time an insulin pump at an altitude of 10,000 feet in tribal district Lahaul Spiti.

Elaborating, Dr Mokta said that “An insulin pump was installed to a little girl aged 12 at an altitude 10,000 feet at Keylong in Lahaul Spiti on March 12 this year. Regular follow up of the patient revealed that her fasting glucose came down and ranged between 110-130 mg/dl and post meal glucose between 150-170 mg/dl. She had started playing with her friends for three-four hours a day and her parents are very happy.”

“It was a major challenge to keep the insulin safe for medical treatment at such a high altitude in the freezing temperature but I devised a locally applicable indigenous method to keep the insulin at an appropriate temperature in the freezing winter,” he remarked.

He said, “Earlier this year a 12 year old girl from Keylong in Lahaul Spiti visited me at the IGMC Shimla for medical treatment. It was revealed during the visit that she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of six and was taking multiple insulin injection since then. Her mother was visiting her daily at her school to inject day-time insulin.”

“To my surprise her blood glucose was never controlled and most of her blood glucose reports showed blood glucose levels above 400 to 500 mg/dl with Glycated hemoglobin level 16% (6-7% normal),” Dr Mokta said.

“On March this year, the then Deputy Commissioner Lahaul and Spiti, Pankaj Rai, called me up and discussed about the treatment option for the girl. He desired to help if better treatment option exists. Insulin pump installation came up as the best treatment option but cost was a big concern (Rs 1.95 lacs). The Deputy Commissioner was kind enough and sanctioned the money, paving the way for the treatment of the little girl,” he said.