Near infrared light examination as part of the management of sporadic pancreatic head insulinoma

INTRODUCTION: We report the case of a 77-year-old female patient with the diagnosis of pancreatic head insulinoma, in whom we used near infrared light (NIR) to detect synchronous pancreatic tumors and potential secondary lymph node or liver involvement. The patient presented with hypoglycemia manifesting by lipothymia. With the diagnosis of secretory neuroendocrine tumor (insulinoma) of the pancreatic head, cephalic pancreatoduodenectomy with the preservation of the pylorus was performed after NIR visualization of the pancreatic tumor mass. At 6, 12, 18 months postoperatively, the patient no longer had hypoglycemia and her general state was good. CONCLUSION: NIR with indocyanine green (ICG) evidences pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, as well as possible synchronous tumors and secondary lymph node or liver involvement.