
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions โ written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Insulinoma surgery
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for insulinoma. It can be 80 to 100% curative in experienced surgical hands. The feasibility of surgery depends on the stage of insulinoma at diagnosis.
Surgery
Surgery
Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for benign and resectable malignant insulinoma. It can be 80 to 100% curative in experienced surgical hands.[1][2]
Benign Tumors
Small well-encapsulated, solitary tumors:[1][2][3]
- Tumors are localized with palpation in 70ย % cases during surgery. Intra-operative ultrasound (IOUS) localizes in 86% of times. Palpation and IOUS together localize tumor in 83-98% cases.[4][5]

- Surgical resection is the treatment of choice. Minimal invasive surgery such as laparoscopic surgery is preferred especially for small and solitary benign insulinomas.
- Enucleation
- Partial pancreatectomy
- Distal pancreatectomy
- Pancreaticoduodenectomy[6]
- Multiple, unencapsulated, > 4 cm in diameter, and involves or is near the main pancreatic duct:
- Radical resection
- Insulinomas which are associated with MEN1, excision of tumor found in the head of the pancreas plus a distal subtotal pancreatectomy is recommended.[7]
- For occult insulinomas, blind distal pancreatectomy is not advisable. [8]
Malignant Tumors
- Aggressive surgical resection, including extended pancreatic resection with lymph nodes, liver resection, and/or liver transplantation
- Post-surgical chemoembolization or radiofrequency ablation of tumors to control hypoglycemia.
- Unresectable tumors
- Octreotide administration
- Continuous glucose monitoring
- Radiofrequency ablation
- Embolization
- Intra-arterial chemotherapy
References
References
- โ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Okabayashi T, Shima Y, Sumiyoshi T, Kozuki A, Ito S, Ogawa Y; et al. (2013). “Diagnosis and management of insulinoma”. World J Gastroenterol. 19 (6): 829โ37. doi:10.3748/wjg.v19.i6.829. PMCย 3574879. PMIDย 23430217.
- โ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Inulinoma. national library of medicine. https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000387.htm
- โ 3.0 3.1 Service FJ, McMahon MM, O’Brien PC, Ballard DJ (1991). “Functioning insulinoma–incidence, recurrence, and long-term survival of patients: a 60-year study”. Mayo Clin Proc. 66 (7): 711โ9. PMIDย 1677058.
- โ Norton JA, Cromack DT, Shawker TH, Doppman JL, Comi R, Gorden P; et al. (1988). “Intraoperative ultrasonographic localization of islet cell tumors. A prospective comparison to palpation”. Ann Surg. 207 (2): 160โ8. PMCย 1493387. PMIDย 2829761.
- โ Nikfarjam M, Warshaw AL, Axelrod L, Deshpande V, Thayer SP, Ferrone CR; et al. (2008). “Improved contemporary surgical management of insulinomas: a 25-year experience at the Massachusetts General Hospital”. Ann Surg. 247 (1): 165โ72. doi:10.1097/SLA.0b013e31815792ed. PMCย 3806046. PMIDย 18156937.
- โ Vรกzquez Quintana E (2004). “The surgical management of insulinoma”. Bol Asoc Med P R. 96 (1): 33โ8. PMIDย 15575328.
- โ Demeure MJ, Klonoff DC, Karam JH, Duh QY, Clark OH (1991). “Insulinomas associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type I: the need for a different surgical approach”. Surgery. 110 (6): 998โ1004, discussion 1004-5. PMIDย 1684067.
- โ Hirshberg B, Libutti SK, Alexander HR, Bartlett DL, Cochran C, Livi A; et al. (2002). “Blind distal pancreatectomy for occult insulinoma, an inadvisable procedure”. J Am Coll Surg. 194 (6): 761โ4. PMIDย 12081066.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Amandeep Singh M.D.[2], Parminder Dhingra, M.D. [3]
