Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2025

Robotic Enucleation of an Intra-Pancreatic Insulinoma in the Pancreatic Head
Published on: January 3, 2020
Robotic-assisted pancreatic enucleation: Posterior uncinate approach
Asmita Chopra1, Nicholas Ranellone1, Geoffrey Nunns1
1Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Abstract:
Functional pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNET) necessitate surgical resection. Enucleation is the preferred surgical method for well-differentiated pNETs that measure less than 2 cm in diameter, as it offers a greater likelihood of enhancing post-operative recovery and decreasing morbidity and mortality. Insulinomas are particularly suitable for enucleation when such a procedure is viable. However, enucleating tumors within the uncinate process of the pancreas, especially on its posterior aspect, can present substantial challenges. The accompanying video illustrates a robotic-assisted enucleation of an insulinoma in the uncinate process, performed on a 41-year-old male with recurrent hypoglycemia. This intervention led to the resolution of symptoms and incurred minimal post-operative morbidity.

