Delhi's Sir Ganga Ram Hospital identifies, removes woman's rare tumour

Doctors at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital SGRH here recently reported a case of ectopic insulinoma, a rare tumour that secretes large amounts of insulin leading to hypoglycemia or episodes of low blood sugar in the patient.A middle-aged non-diabetic woman from Dubai experienced recurrent episodes of fainting, tremors and palpitations.

Doctors at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) here recently reported a case of ectopic insulinoma, a rare tumour that secretes large amounts of insulin leading to hypoglycemia or episodes of low blood sugar in the patient.

A middle-aged non-diabetic woman from Dubai experienced recurrent episodes of fainting, tremors and palpitations. After unsuccessful evaluations in Dubai, she visited the hospital for further assessment, SGRH said in a statement.

Through an advanced endoscopic procedure called endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), the medical team identified a small tumour near the duodenum. The tumour was extracted and confirmed to be an insulinoma through microscopic testing, it said.

Insulinomas are typically found in or near the pancreas but in rare cases, they can be ectopic or located elsewhere in the body, doctors at SGRH's Institute of Liver, Gastroenterology and Pancreatic Biliary Sciences said.

These tumours can be easily missed by conventional imaging techniques, making endoscopic ultrasound crucial for detection, according to the doctors.

The patient underwent surgical removal of the tumour using a minimally invasive laparoscopic approach, resulting in complete resolution of symptoms, said Anil Arora, chairman of Institute of Liver, Gastroenterology and Pancreatic Biliary Sciences.