Insulinoma: diagnosis, surgical management and long-term follow-up. Review of 41 cases

Abstract

The clinical features, diagnosis and surgical considerations in 41 patients with insulinoma treated at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center are presented along with a review of the literature. One hundred percent of patients surviving surgery for benign functional beta cell tumors were cured of hypoglycemia. A detailed long-term follow-up study in the majority of patients after surgical cure documented a statistically significant incidence of neuropsychiatric aberration, adult-onset diabetes mellitus and peptic ulcer disease. Patients who have undergone surgery for endogenous hyperinsulinism should be followed up carefully for the development of these disorders, and their overall prognosis should be considered cautiously.