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The I-Port: Taking the "Multiple" Out of Multiple Daily Injections

Linda von Wartburg

Jul 13, 2007

Never puncture the skin when injecting

You know how the pump works: it has an infusion set with a soft cannula that's inserted only once every few days, and your insulin infuses into your body by way of the cannula. You certainly don't get poked with a needle every time the pump sends you some insulin.

Now there's an infusion set for insulin injectors, called the I-Port, that eliminates about eighty percent of the needle sticks endured by people on multiple daily injections. It's a little dome about the size of a quarter and only a third of an inch tall. When you apply it to your body, a needle guides a tiny cannula into your subcutaneous tissue, where it remains. (If you rub your skin with an ice cube first, you won't even feel it going in.)

For the next 72 hours, you give all your shots to the I-Port, which feeds the insulin into your subcutaneous tissue via a tiny funnel going to the cannula. Even the longest needles don't reach your skin, so the I-port feels all the pain and you feel none. After 72 hours, you replace it with a new one, and you're home free for another three days.

For someone taking three insulin shots a day, the I-Port cuts down your monthly quota of needle sticks from ninety down to as few as ten. Its hypoallergenic adhesive stays put through bathing, sleeping, and exercising. It's even useful for pump users taking Symlin or for type 2s on Byetta who don't want to give themselves those shots every day. (When using the same I-Port for both long- and short-acting insulin, ask your prescriber how long you should wait between the two injections; the company recommends at least an hour. When using both Symlin and multiple daily insulin injections, you might want to use two I-Ports, one for each medication.)

The I-Port was the brainchild of Catherine "K.K." Patton, who founded Patton Medical Devices in 2004 to bring it to market. K.K., who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes after the birth of her son, tried both multiple daily injections and the pump but wasn't happy with either. So she came up with the I-Port in an effort to marry the best of both worlds.

If you're tired of injections, the I-Port could be just what you've been looking for, so check out the company's website at www.pattonmd.com. It comes complete with animated videos and testimonials, and it even has a prescription form ready for printing.

Categories: Diabetes, Diabetes, Insulin, Syringes, Type 1 Issues, Type 2 Issues

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Jul 13, 2007

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The I-Port: Taking the "Multiple" Out of Multiple Daily Injections

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