Interventional versus surgical procedures in localized/nonmetastatic insulinoma (ablation versus surgery)

Localized insulinoma is an uncommon entity that can result in substantial morbidity due the associated hypoglycemia. Recent studies have suggested an increase in the incidence of insulinoma in recent decades that may possibly be secondary to increased awareness, incidental diagnoses and better diagnostic methods. Diagnosing and localizing insulinoma within the pancreas can be challenging but advances in nuclear imaging may improve the diagnostic accuracy. Delays in diagnosis are common but once a localized insulinoma is diagnosed and appropriately treated, the long-term prognosis is excellent. Surgical resection is considered the standard of care management option for localized insulinoma but tumor ablation with endoscopic ultrasound guidance has also been shown to be an effective and safe method for therapy.