From a neuropsychiatric disorder to the correct diagnosis of insulinoma resolved by major pancreatic resection

Abstract

Insulinomas are rare pancreatic tumors usually benign with an incidence of 0.4%. They are more common in women with a female-to-male ratio of 2:1. It is the most common functioning neuroendocrine tumor of the pancreas and is responsible for 70-75% of hyperinsulinemia in clinical practice1. The diagnosis is often a challenge, and a delay in diagnosis can have serious consequences for the patient. Surgical treatment is curative in more than 90% of cases, and the conservative approach is the treatment of choice whenever possible. We report the case of a cephalic pancreaticoduodenectomy (CPD) due to an insulinoma in a male patient with a previous misdiagnosis of a neuropsychiatric disorder treated with anticonvulsants.