title: Insulinoma--rare, but important clinical problem. Analysis of a series of 530 patients who underwent surgical treatment for the pancreatic tumor.
abstract: Insulinomas are rare tumors, accounting for 1-2% of all neoplasms of the pancreas. Usually their treatment is not associated with any problems; however there is a small subset of problematic clinical cases. The authors present their own clinical experience with surgical treatment of insulinomas of the pancreas. The aim of the study was to conduct a retrospective analysis of patients with insulinomas of the pancreas who underwent surgical treatment at Department of General and Transplant Surgery Medical University in Łódź.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included all patients who underwent surgical treatment at the Department between 2007 and 2013 for the tumor of the pancreas. Further retrospective analysis included all patients with tumors of the insulinoma type. The data was obtained from medical records, surgical protocols and histopathology reports.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis included 530 patients who underwent surgical treatment for the tumor of the pancreas. Insulinoma was found in 10 (1.88%) patients (8 females, 2 males). An average age of patients who underwent surgical treatment was 47.5±13.8 years. An average size of the tumor was 1.6±0.5 cm. Six patients underwent extirpation of the insulinoma, while the other patients underwent distal resection of the pancreas. All patients underwent "an open surgical procedure". The average duration of the surgical procedure was 55±45 minutes. Duration of the hospitalization in the analyzed group of patients was 7±5 days. Incidence of postoperative pancreatic fistulas was 10%. All insulinomas were benign.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Insulinomas were rare among patients who underwent surgical treatment at the Department. They were benign and their treatment was unproblematic. However, there is a small group of cases that can be associated with problematic clinical situations. Thus treatment of patients with insulinomas should be conducted at specialist centers. Correct diagnostic and therapeutic management, involving close cooperation between multiple medical specialists, results in complete curing of majority of patients.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Durczyński
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hogendorf
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Szymański
authors.forename: Witold
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Izdebski
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaczka
authors.forename: Łukasz
authors.initials: Ł
authors.lastname: Durko
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Strzelczyk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007340:Insulinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011044:Poland; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome