Control of plasma glucose with somatostatin analogue (SMS 201-995) during surgical removal of insulinomas.

Prevention of hypoglycaemia may sometimes be difficult in the operative period of insulinoma when parenteral volume overload is contraindicated due to severe cardiac failure. We investigated the effects of octreotide on hypoglycaemia during operations in two patients with insulinoma, one of whom had severe congestive heart failure. We found no hypoglycaemic values by using octreotide 100 micrograms administered subcutaneously one hour before surgery. Octreotide therapy can safely be used before surgery to prevent hypoglycaemia in patients with insulinoma.