Gastroenterologists from city based Pinnacle Hospital in Visakhapatnam have successfully treated a 17-year-old girl suffering from a rare, insulin-secreting pancreatic tumour using an advanced, minimally invasive technique known as Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS)-guided microwave ablation.
Doctors at the hospital claimed that this is the first procedure of it’s kind has been performed in India for pancreatic insulinoma.
The teenager was brought to the hospital following recurrent, debilitating episodes of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), which severely impacted her daily activities. Diagnostic evaluations revealed elevated insulin levels caused by a 12 mm insulinoma, a rare pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour, located in the head of her pancreas close to major blood vessels.
While conventional management of such lesions typically requires complex major pancreatic surgery, the clinical team led by Dr. Sravan Kumar opted for EUS-guided microwave ablation to avoid open surgery and preserve healthy tissue.
During the procedure, clinicians used high-resolution endoscopic ultrasound to precisely locate the 12-mm tumour.
“EUS-guided microwave ablation provides an effective, minimally invasive treatment option for carefully selected patients with pancreatic insulinoma,” said Dr. Sravan Kumar.
In this young patient, we were able to target the lesion with extreme precision, sparing her from a major surgical procedure and able to discharge her within 48 hours. Her clinical status and recovery at 6 weeks are encouraging, though we will continue long-term follow-up, he added.
At her six-week clinical follow-up, doctors confirmed that she remained entirely symptom-free, with complete resolution of her low blood sugar episodes.
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Published - October 08, 2026 12:41 am IST