UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute Explores Minimally Invasive Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes

HARRISBURG, Pa. – Physicians at UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute treated the first patient in Pennsylvania and the second in the U.S. using a catheter-based therapy for the treatment of poorly controlled diabetes in the DeLIVER Trial at UPMC Pinnacle Harrisburg.

“We are excited to be participating in this potentially groundbreaking, minimally invasive treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes,” William Bachinsky, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.S.C.A.I., chairman, cardiovascular research program and director, cardiac and vascular interventional program, UPMC Pinnacle. “We are hopeful for the start of a ‘new frontier’ in the management of type 2 diabetes.”

People with type 2 diabetes have abnormal levels of sugar, also known as glucose, in their blood. The liver plays a central role in the proper regulation of glucose levels. Excessive release of glucose into the bloodstream by the liver—triggered in part by overactive sympathetic nerve signaling—can be a major contributor in poor glucose control of type 2 diabetes. In addition, both high glucose levels and high sympathetic nerve activity can lead to liver failure due to fatty liver disease, a leading cause of liver failure in the U.S.

The new system is designed to be a one-time balloon angioplasty catheter procedure using radio frequency energy, called denervation, to inhibit overactive sympathetic nerve signaling to the liver, with the hope of improving overall glucose control. In this minimally invasive procedure, the liver is accessed through the femoral artery in the groin and then the device is maneuvered into the hepatic artery to perform the denervation procedure.

“Type 2 diabetes continues to be a global epidemic. Patients may face lifelong daily use of drug regimens, possible insulin dependence and serious health complications," said Renu Joshi, M.D., vice president, chronic disease management, population health, and division chief, endocrinology, UPMC Pinnacle. “This new system has the potential to provide patients with a fundamentally new treatment option for the management of their type 2 diabetes by targeting an underlying cause of their disease.”

Type 2 Diabetes is a chronic, progressive disease that affects more than 400 million people worldwide.  Despite significant treatment efforts with lifestyle changes and medications, about 50% of patients fail to achieve adequate blood sugar control, putting them at a higher risk of complications. Potential complications include increased risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and narrowing of blood vessels (atherosclerosis), kidney and liver failure, glaucoma and blindness.

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