Friday, April 18, 2008
Read this article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080305113659.htm
Apparently it has been known since the '50s that insulin/blood sugar is regulated by the first foot or so of the small intestine, and that bypassing that section of intestine (the duodenum and jejunum) cures type 2 diabetes. They are not exactly sure why it works, what the insulin regulation process is, but it seems to have been well known for a long time that the surgery does work.
It hasn't been promoted as a cure because resectioning is serious surgery. (But, hey, people die of diabetes. That's serious, too. Last time I checked, anyway....) I suspect (this is me speculating) that the reason is that type 2 diabetes can often be controlled with diet and lifestyle changes, so that's the first choice (and it's cheaper), and then by the time it's apparent that diet and exercise and meds aren't working, the damage to major organs and systems is done, and the surgery is no longer feasible.
Twenty five patients have undergone a new surgery where instead of resection, they insert (some kind of) bypass tube, and it works as well with much less risk. Immediate remission of type 2 diabetes. Boom. Done.
Read the article.
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