Surgical therapy of hyperinsulinism

Abstract

Organic hyperinsulinism is rare: the incidence is 1:100,000. In newborns, often of diabetic mothers, there may be islet cell hyperplasia. Rare cases may require partial pancreatectomy. In adults, the condition is always due to an insulinoma.

Artefactual hypoglycaemia

“…Hypoglycaemia is suggested by Whipple's triad: symptoms of hypoglycaemia, venous glucose <3.0 mmol/L and resolution of symptoms after the plasma glucose concentration is raised. 1 However, the glucose concentration that is diagnostic of hypoglycaemia is poorly defined. Various venous glucose levels ranging from <2.5 to <3.3 mmol/L have been used to define hypoglycaemia in non-diabetic subjects.…”