Endoscopic ultrasound-guided ethanol ablation therapy for pancreatic insulinoma: an unusual strategy. 2017

Adriana de Sousa Lages, and Isabel Paiva, and Patrícia Oliveira, and Francisco Portela, and Francisco Carrilho
Departments of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism.

CONCLUSIONS Insulinomas are the most frequent cause of hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia. Although surgical enucleation is the standard treatment, a few other options are available to high-risk patients who are elderly or present with co-morbidities. We present a case report of an 89-year-old female patient who was admitted to the emergency department due to recurrent hypoglycaemia, especially during fasting. Laboratory work-up raised the suspicion of hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia, and abdominal CT scan revealed a 12 mm nodular hypervascular lesion of the pancreatic body suggestive of neuroendocrine tumour. The patient was not considered a suitable candidate for surgery, and medical therapy with diazoxide was poorly tolerated. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided ethanol ablation therapy was performed and a total of 0.6 mL of 95% ethanol was injected into the lesion by a transgastric approach; no complications were reported after the procedure. At 5 months of follow-up, no episodes of hypoglycaemia were reported, no diazoxide therapy was necessary, and revaluation abdominal CT scan revealed a pancreatic nodular lesion with a size involution of about half of its original volume. The patient is regularly followed-up at the endocrinology clinic and shows a significant improvement in her wellbeing and quality of life. CONCLUSIONS Insulinomas are the most frequent cause of hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia.Surgical enucleation is the standard treatment with a few other options available to high-risk patients.Endoscopic ultrasound-guided ethanol ablation therapy is one feasible option in high-risk patients with satisfactory clinical outcomes, significant positive impact on quality of life and low complication rates related to the procedure.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries

Related Publications

Adriana de Sousa Lages, and Isabel Paiva, and Patrícia Oliveira, and Francisco Portela, and Francisco Carrilho
January 2020, Endokrynologia Polska,
Adriana de Sousa Lages, and Isabel Paiva, and Patrícia Oliveira, and Francisco Portela, and Francisco Carrilho
October 2014, Orvosi hetilap,
Adriana de Sousa Lages, and Isabel Paiva, and Patrícia Oliveira, and Francisco Portela, and Francisco Carrilho
January 2021, Revista espanola de enfermedades digestivas,
Adriana de Sousa Lages, and Isabel Paiva, and Patrícia Oliveira, and Francisco Portela, and Francisco Carrilho
January 2011, Endoscopy,
Adriana de Sousa Lages, and Isabel Paiva, and Patrícia Oliveira, and Francisco Portela, and Francisco Carrilho
January 2008, Acta gastro-enterologica Belgica,
Adriana de Sousa Lages, and Isabel Paiva, and Patrícia Oliveira, and Francisco Portela, and Francisco Carrilho
June 2013, World journal of gastroenterology,
Adriana de Sousa Lages, and Isabel Paiva, and Patrícia Oliveira, and Francisco Portela, and Francisco Carrilho
March 2017, Pancreas,
Adriana de Sousa Lages, and Isabel Paiva, and Patrícia Oliveira, and Francisco Portela, and Francisco Carrilho
February 2020, Polish archives of internal medicine,
Adriana de Sousa Lages, and Isabel Paiva, and Patrícia Oliveira, and Francisco Portela, and Francisco Carrilho
January 2015, Endoscopic ultrasound,
Adriana de Sousa Lages, and Isabel Paiva, and Patrícia Oliveira, and Francisco Portela, and Francisco Carrilho
October 2023, Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology : the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association,
Copied contents to your clipboard!