Diagnosis and surgical treatment of pancreatic insulinoma: a report of 137 cases / 中国普通外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To summarize the methods of diagnosis and results of surgical treatment of pancreatic insulinoma. Methods The clinical data of 137 patients with insulinoma treated in our hospital during the past twenty-six years were reviewed retrospectively.Results There were 77 males and 60 females. All of them were characterized by the Whipple′s triad. The sensitivity of ultrasonography, CT and MRI for localization was 35.1%, 67.9% and 58.1% respectively. One hundred and tweenty-six patients underwent operation. Of them, 102 cases had tumor enucleation, 4 cases had pancreaticoduodenectomy, 16 cases had distal panreatectomy, and the other 4 cases had only laparotomy. Of the 122 patients, who underwent resection, the tumor was benign in 118(96.7%) and malignant in 4(3.3%). The diameter of the tumor was less than 2cm in 86.9% of cases. In 98.4% of cases the tumors were single and in 1.6% of cases were multiple. 13.1% of the tumors located in the head, 46.7% in the body, and 40.2% in the tail.Conclusions Whipple′s triad and the measurement of fasting glucose, IRI, IGR, C-peptide, and proinsulin levels contribute to the diagnosis of insulinoma. However, the preoperative tumor localization is still difficult. Tumor enucleation is the technique of choice when feasible. Patients in whom tumor localization is unsuccessful at operation should be carefully evaluated to be certain of the diagnosis, and in general should not undergo blind resection.