Hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia - a diagnostic challenge. A report of two atypical cases.
Keywords
Hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia, insulinoma, glucagonoma, malignant insulinoma, nesidioblastosis.Abstract
Objectives: The authors describe 2 atypical cases of patients with hypoglycaemia, suspected for insulinoma.
Methods: The 2 reports are accompanied by a concise review of the literature.
Results: Patient 1 had a distal pancreatectomy performed for suspected insulinoma, and was diagnosed with a glucagonoma and beta-cell hyperplasia (nesidioblastosis). To the authors’s knowledge, co-existing glucagonoma and nesidioblastosis had not been previously reported.
Patient 2 was diagnosed with a benign insulinoma and 5 years later with metastatic disease.
Conclusion: The authors conclude that insulinomas are rare entities which often present a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. In such cases, patient referral to tertiary multidisciplinary centers is recommended.
References

Published: 2015-07-17
Issue: Vol. 2 No. 4 (2015) (view)
Section: Articles