Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: A gastrointestinal bleed (GIB) in the setting of metastatic insulinoma is a rare phenomenon. It appears that cases of metastatic insulinoma causing GIB are rare, often influenced by the tumor's location. Our case involves an 82-year-old male with dementia and a history of recurrent hypoglycemia, presenting with an episode of altered mental status. The patient exhibited hypoglycemia alongside a melena episode and anemia. Diagnostic criteria, including Whipple's triad, confirmed endogenous insulin production. Computed tomography (CT) showed a left paraaortic/retroperitoneal mass. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) visualized an extrinsic mass at the gastric body, which caused an ulcerated surface that was treated with clipping and hemostasis. The patient's recurrent hypoglycemic episodes were treated with glucose, while his GIB was managed with hemostasis and clipping. However, the patient was not a surgical candidate, and further medical treatment was ceased by the family.
Source: Cureus
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.64894
Institution: Jersey City Medical Center
Language: English
Subfield: Oncology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4400831792