Percutaneous Irreversible Electroporation for Pancreatic VIPoma: A Case Report

The purpose of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of irreversible electroporation (IRE) for the management of unresectable pancreatic vasoactive intestinal peptide tumor (VIPoma) in a 34-year-old male patient. The initial symptom was watery diarrhea, which could not be stopped by fasting. Laboratory tests revealed high vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) hormone levels, hypokalemia, and metabolic acidosis. Computed tomography examination showed a 6.0 × 5.0-cm, contrast-enhanced lesion in the neck and body of the pancreas and obliteration of the portal vein. Pathological and immunohistochemical findings were indicative of pancreatic VIPoma. The patient was treated with octreotide and IRE, and had no obvious IRE-related complications, except for moderate pain at the puncture sites. The patient reported that the watery diarrhea had decreased gradually; moreover, the VIP hormone level was normalized 15 days after IRE. Computed tomography scans showed a large area of necrosis in the pancreatic lesion. The findings from this case indicated that IRE could be a feasible and safe technique in controlling pancreatic VIPoma; however, additional follow-up and findings from more cases are required to further confirm the efficacy of IRE ablation therapy for pancreatic VIPoma.