Canadian contributions towards the comprehension of hyperinsulinism: the first successful excision of an insulinoma.
The authors review briefly the contributions to the "insulin story" made by Canadian doctors. A.G. Nichols from the department of pathology, McGill University, first described an adenoma arising from the islets of Langerhans. The authors also review the background to the first successful excision of a functioning tumour of the pancreas by R.R. Graham in 1929; in the preceding 2 years W. J. Mayo had found a malignant islet cell tumour with hepatic metastases and J.M.T. Finney had operated on a patient suffering from functional hypoglycemia. Graham found and successfully excised what was probably a solitary benign islet cell adenoma. The authors believe the patient was cured.
D007516:Adenoma, Islet Cell / Q000266:history*; D002170:Canada; D013502:General Surgery / Q000266:history*; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000266:history*