Reprinted with permission of Amy Tenderich of www.diabetesmine.com.

Who's ever heard of the GlucoDay® S semi-invasive continuous glucose monitor?   

I didn't think so.  I picked up a hint from a medblogger's footnote. Then I found it described over at DiabetesMall, although the link to the product on the manufacturer's site doesn't seem to be working.

That manufacturer would be A.Menarini Diagnostics, Italy's largest pharmaceutical R&D company, which released the GlucoDay across Europe a year ago (or two? -- I've had no luck getting hold of them despite attempted introductions).  The GlucoDay is apparently the first system in the world based on a "microdialysis" technique to obtain the CE marking for the Medical Device Directive, required to market any product in the European Union.  But don't get too excited; I read the fine print, and it's only designated for clinical use, "worn by the subject for a 48-hour period."

So why am I bringing this up?  Well, I happen to love innovation, and like Kerri, I'm finding the Guardian MiniLink sensor to be rather uncomfortable.  Meanwhile, I didn't like using the DexCom much at all.  I'm feeling ready for something less invasive.  So these guys had me at semi-invasive.  But what the heck does that mean? 

Apparently the only thing going in your body with the GlucoDay is a "microfiber" inserted under the skin, as part of a small "biosensor."

The description is a bit cryptic, but it appears to be a two-part wireless system where the controller unit is sort of Walkman-sized.  Granted, in this day of micro-devices that's not too exciting, but maybe that's the current trade-off for less invasive.  I love the data I was get from the Guardian.  But I don't love that long cannula and the mobility of the sensor that often makes your skin sore.

So I'm thinking, maybe we've all been too ambitious expecting a jump straight from needles & cannulas to the non-invasive dream.  Maybe there's a step in between -- something semi-invasive that will help us with the comfort imperative.  Then again, the data on that last link is at least two years old.  And then I found this neat overview which is, oh... just about 10 YEARS OLD.