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New Continuous Glucose Monitor Implant Sensor Comes As Welcome News To Diabetes Sufferers

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- There's an exciting new development for people with diabetes.

A tiny implantable sensor that continuously monitors a diabetic's blood sugar is the next generation of continuous glucose monitors, CBS2's Dr. Max Gomez reported Tuesday.

A CGM is the blood-sugar version of wearable health devices, and it is making finger sticks to check blood sugar almost a thing of the past.

Most are wearable devices, but a new one isn't worn. It's implanted.

Wearable CGMs have revolutionized diabetes care, both for patients like professional dancer Katelyn Prominski and doctors who can keep much better track of their patients' sugar control.

"They can come in. They can upload the data Or they may come in with their actual monitor and we can see over 24 hours what has been going on with their blood-sugar," said Dr. Gregory Dodell of Central Park Endocrinology.

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glucose monitor
A new continuous glucose monitor is implanted under the skin. (Photo: CBS2)

Those CGMs track a patient's blood-sugar every few minutes, instead of the inconvenience of using finger sticks every few hours. But they are stuck on the skin and have to be changed every 10 to 14 days or so.

The new version of a CGM was actually implanted under Alan Sorin's skin.

"It has made my life freeing. I start my day at home home, I check my blood then. I'm out for the day, I always know I'll be returning home," Sorin said.

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The Eversense CGM is tiny, about the size of a matchstick. It is implanted under the skin with local anesthesia and it continuously reports blood-sugar for three months. The only visible element is a thin transmitter taped over the Eversense that can be removed for swimming or when baring your arms in clothing, swimming, etc.

The transmitter sends blood-sugar readings to a smartphone, which can be shared with doctors, nurses and loved ones. Dodell said it's made for much better behavior and sugar control.

"It's real-time data. It's personalized care. It's digital. They can treat themselves in a lot of ways," Dodell said.

It's a visual reminder of the importance of staying within a normal sugar range, not too high or too low.

After three months the old Eversense comes out and a new one is put in.

Even though diabetes is high blood-sugar, many diabetics have trouble with low blood-sugar when they haven't eaten enough and their insulin is driving their sugar too low. That can be lethal.

With CGMs, you can set an alarm to warn you of too low sugar.

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