Methods and systems for treating diabetes and related diseases and disorders

Abstract

Systems, devices and methods treat target tissue to provide a therapeutic benefit to the patient. A tissue treatment device comprises a tissue treatment element constructed and arranged to treat target tissue, such as duodenal mucosa and/or submucosal tissue. Patients treated can safely eliminate or reduce their daily insulin intake.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating a medical condition of a patient, the method comprising:
 selecting a patient diagnosed with type 2 diabetes that is being treated with daily insulin at a first dosage level and having a first HbA1c level of at least 7.5%;   advancing a treatment element of an elongate device into the duodenum of a patient;   performing a tissue treatment procedure comprising treating one or more segments of the selected patient's intestinal tissue with the treatment element, wherein the tissue segments comprise duodenal mucosal tissue and/or duodenal submucosal tissue; and   removing the treatment element from the patient;   wherein after the tissue treatment procedure is performed, the selected patient receives daily insulin at a second dosage level less than the first dosage level and maintains a second HbA1c level that is no greater than the first HbA1c level.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second dosage level is zero units of insulin per day. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second dosage level is no more than 50% of the first dosage level. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first dosage level comprises a level of at least 10 units of insulin per day, and wherein the second dosage level is no more than 50% of the first. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first dosage level comprises a level of at least 20 units of insulin per day, and wherein the second dosage level is no more than 50% of the first. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first dosage level comprises a level of at least 50 units of insulin per day, and wherein the second dosage level is no more than 50% of the first. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first dosage level comprises a level of at least 60 units of insulin per day, and wherein the second dosage level is no more than 50% of the first. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the risk of hypoglycemia is reduced to a level of no more than 0.5% occurrence rate of serious hypoglycemic events per year. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method is performed without surgery. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method does not include implanting a chronic implant in the patient. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the selected patient has a c-peptide level of at least 0.5 ng/mL prior to the performing of the tissue treatment procedure. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second HbA1c level comprises an HbA1c level of the selected patient measured  24  weeks after the performance of the tissue treatment procedure. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second HbA1c level is less than the first HbA1c level. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the second HbA1c level comprises a level of at least 0.5% less than the first HbA1c level. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second HbA1c level comprises an HbA1c level less than or equal to 7.5%. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the second HbA1c level comprises an HbA1c level less than or equal to 7.0% 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the second dosage level is zero units of insulin per day. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the tissue treatment procedure comprises ablating the duodenal mucosal tissue and/or duodenal submucosal tissue. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the tissue treatment procedure comprises ablating neuronal cells of the duodenal mucosa and/or duodenal submucosa. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the tissue treatment procedure comprises a tissue treatment selected from the group consisting of: thermal coagulation; desiccation; non-desiccating tissue ablation; heat ablation; cryoablation; radiofrequency ablation; electroporation; ultrasound and/or other sound-based ablation; sonoporation; laser and/or other light-based ablation; mechanical abrasion; chemical abrasion and/or chemical ablation; and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method results in a therapeutic benefit to the selected patient comprising a decrease in total body weight. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method results in a therapeutic benefit to the selected patient comprising a weight loss of at least 5% of the patient's weight prior to the performing of the tissue treatment procedure. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method results in a therapeutic benefit to the selected patient comprising a reduced risk of hypoglycemia. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first dosage level comprises a level of at least 0.5 units of insulin per kilogram of patient body weight per day. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at the time of selection, the selected patient is further taking a non-insulin anti-diabetic medication. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at the time of selection, the selected patient has a c-peptide level of at least 0.6 ng/mL. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein at the time of selection, the selected patient has a c-peptide level of at least 1.0 ng/mL. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at the time of selection, the selected patient further comprises a patient with a fasting plasma glucose level of at least 140 mg/dL. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein at the time of selection, the selected patient further comprises a patient with a fasting plasma glucose level of at least 160 mg/dL. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein at the time of selection, the selected patient further comprises a patient with a fasting plasma glucose level of at least 180 mg/dL. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the selected patient taking at least one non-insulin anti-diabetic medication after the performance of the tissue treatment procedure.