Surgical versus non-surgical treatment of congenital hyperinsulinism

Congenital hyperinsulinism is a functional disorder of insulin secretion. In its diffuse severe form, it is traditionally treated with over 95% pancreatectomy. However, even after this procedure normoglycemia is not always achieved. Non-surgical therapy with frequent or continuous feeding, medication and close monitoring is another alternative. In this review we compare the two approaches to this condition focusing on early complications, diabetes, neurological outcome and home management issues. Early complications of pancreatectomy include mechanical, metabolic and infectious complications. Non-surgical interventions can be complicated by unwarranted effects of medications and of invasive procedures. Diabetes occurs with both approaches but much less frequently and years later with non-surgical treatment. Regarding neurodevelopmental outcome, most data come from heterogeneous groups. Nevertheless, it appears that outcome is not adversely affected by avoiding surgery. Home management is far more difficult for the non-surgical form. When the non-surgical approach is successful in achieving normoglycemia and parents are highly motivated, this mode of therapy should be considered.