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Updated: Oct 10, 2025
Robotic Enucleation of an Intra-Pancreatic Insulinoma in the Pancreatic Head
Published on: January 3, 2020
EUS-guided radiofrequency ablation for pancreatic insulinoma: experience in 2 tertiary centers
Mariola Marx1, Toni Trosic-Ivanisevic2, Fabrice Caillol1
1Division of Gastroenterology, Paoli Calmettes Institute, Marseille, France.
Background And Aims:
Insulinoma is the most frequent functional neuroendocrine tumor of the pancreas, and preserving surgery is the treatment of choice. EUS-guided radiofrequency ablation (EUS-RFA) is a novel and promising technique that induces tissue necrosis of localized lesions. This article presents a preliminary clinical experience in treating pancreatic insulinomas <2 cm by EUS-RFA, focusing on safety and efficacy.
Methods:
The clinical course of patients with pancreatic insulinoma treated by EUS-RFA at 2 tertiary referral centers was analyzed.
Results:
Between November 2017 and December 2020, 7 patients were included (6 women; mean age, 66 years). EUS-RFA was feasible in all patients with immediate hypoglycemia relief after only 1 single treatment session; 6 of 7 achieved complete response by cross-sectional imaging and remained asymptomatic (median follow-up, 21 months; range, 3-38). Three patients had minor adverse events. One elderly patient developed a large retrogastric collection 15 days after treatment and died 1 month after EUS-RFA.
Conclusions:
Management of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors <2 cm by EUS-RFA seems to be effective with an acceptable safety profile. However, further evidence focusing on long-term survival and recurrence is needed.
