Laparoscopic pancreatectomy for persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia of infancy

A 4-week-old male infant (4.9 kg) with persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia of infancy (PHHI) underwent a laparoscopic pancreatectomy to evaluate its feasibility. Preoperative medications included diazoxide and glucagon to maintain adequate blood glucose levels.

Laparoscopic pancreatectomy was performed using a 5-mm cannula at the umbilicus, external fixation, transcutaneous suture-assisted gastric retraction to expose the lesser sac, and three additional 3.5-mm cannula sites. The pancreas was resected from the splenic hilum to the mesenteric vessels. The splenic vein was dissected from the under surface of the pancreas using electrocautery, and the spleen was easily preserved. Surgery time was 75 min, and minimal blood loss occurred.

The child required no narcotic medication and tolerated a regular diet immediately after surgery. Serum glucose levels did decrease postoperatively, and the child required diazoxide, dextrose infusion, glucagon, and octreotide. On postoperative day 7, the child underwent an open near-total pancreatectomy, after which he remained asymptomatic. Essentially no scarring was found in the lesser sac, and the remaining pancreatic remnant was resected without difficulty.

Laparoscopic pancreatectomy can be performed safely, even in a newborn patient, without prolonged operative time or unnecessary risk. The technique using external fixation and transcutaneous suture-assisted gastric retraction provides excellent exposure to the pancreas and lesser sac. In patients with PHHI, in whom reoperative additional pancreatectomy is very likely, this technique is the ideal initial surgical approach.