Successful treatment with artificial pancreas for a patient who attempted suicide using a high-dose insulin s.c. injection.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Artificial pancreas is usually used to manage hyperglycemia. We controlled prolonged hypoglycemia induced by insulin overdose using artificial pancreas.

CASE PRESENTATION:

A 56-year-old female patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus was admitted to the emergency department after overdosing on 1,800 units each of insulin aspart and insulin degludec. She had also ingested 2 weeks of anti-anxiety medication. When the patient arrived at the hospital, her blood glucose level was 30 mg/dL and she was in a coma. Artificial pancreas (STG-55; Nikkiso, Tokyo, Japan) was used to control blood glucose levels because we were unable to predict the duration or degree of hypoglycemia. Blood glucose levels were safely controlled without the development of hypo- or hyperglycemia. Finally, the patient was discharged without any complications on day 7.

CONCLUSION:

The STG-55 artificial pancreas was very useful and convenient for controlling blood glucose levels in our insulin overdose patient.

• Authors: Toshihiro Sakurai, Masahiro Harada, Takeshi Takahashi
• Journal: Acute medicine & surgery (Acute Med Surg) 2020 Jan-Dec Vol. 7 Issue 1 Pg. e518 ISSN: 2052-8817 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 32547770 (Publication Type: Case Reports)
• Copyright: © 2020 The Authors. Acute Medicine & Surgery published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Association for Acute Medicine.