Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Congenital hyperinsulinism of infancy (CHI) is a rare condition that may cause irreversible severe neurological damage in infants. For children in whom medical management fails, partial or near-total pancreatectomy is then required according to the type of lesion. Currently, open surgery of near-total pancreatic head resection is a mature technique for the treatment of focal-form CHI located in the head of the pancreas, but a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure has not been reported yet. The aim of this study was to verify the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of laparoscopic pancreatic head resection and Roux-en-Y pancreaticojejunostomy for focal-form CHI. METHODS: Two infants with persistent hypoglycemia and increased insulin levels were diagnosed with CHI and underwent laparoscopic near-total pancreatic head resection due to a suboptimal response to medical therapy and the likelihood of focal disease amenable to surgery. Clinical records, operative findings, and postoperative follow-up were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: The operative duration was 300-330 min, and the intraoperative blood loss was minimal. The duration of postoperative abdominal drainage was 4-5 days. Neither intra- nor postoperative abdominal complications occurred. Oral feeding was resumed 3-4 days after the operation, and the blood glucose level was gradually stabilized to within the normal range. Normal blood glucose was observed in both patients over a follow-up period of 3-6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic pancreatic head resection and Roux-en-Y pancreaticojejunostomy can be considered a safe and effective procedure with minimal morbidity and excellent outcomes for the treatment of focal CHI in the head of the pancreas.