Abstract
Insulinoma is noted for its specific clinical symptoms over a long period. Our experience of a case of insulinoma in which diagnosis of the involved site was very difficult in spite of its typical symptoms is reported.
The patient, an 80-year-old woman, visited our hospital with the chief complaint of repeated attacks of unconsciousness. Insulinoma was diagnosed by scrupulous examination, but detemination of the involved site was difficult. After each examination was repeated several times, angiography revealed the site and the nucleus of the tumor was excised. The postoperative course was uneventful.
Although clinical diagnosis of insulinoma has been getting easier with advance in each examination method, determination of its location before surgery is very important. New methods such as PTPC and perioperative echography exist, but are not yet generally used. Determination of the location by repeating various kinds of examinations is recommended. Angiography in particular is considered to be useful.
