Insulinoma causing prolonged hypoglycaemic coma

Abstract

Insulinoma is a rare pancreatic endocrine tumour with an incidence of four cases per million per year. A recurrent episode of fasting hypoglycaemia is the most common manifestation of these tumours. Diagnosis is often delayed due to varied presentation but once diagnosed, prognosis is often good after surgical resection of the lesion. Severe hypoglycaemia in insulinoma causing coma and death is rare. We report a case of hypoglycaemic coma secondary to an insulinoma in an elderly man which proved fatal.