Postoperative complications following surgery for congenital hyperinsulinism and insulinomas in pediatric patients.

PURPOSE: To systematically describe postoperative complications in surgery for HI in pediatric patients.

METHODS

In this retrospective single-center study, we systematically analyzed the rate and grade of complications according to the Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI), Clavien-Dindo Classification (CDC), and the Clavien-Madadi Classification (CMC) in 74 patients undergoing a total of 89 surgeries for CHI (N = 68) or pediatric insulinomas (N = 6) at Odense University Hospital, Denmark, from 01.01.2010 until 01.10.2024.

RESULTS

Patients surgically treated for focal CHI had more favorable surgical outcomes with a mean CCI score of 10.8 vs. the diffuse CHI mean CCI of 26.3 (p = 0.0018). Surgical treatment for pediatric insulinomas resulted in a mean CCI of 28.9. In the total group, the most common complication was postoperative infection (29%), followed by delayed gastric emptying (20%). The rate of postoperative pancreatic fistula was 11%, but only 3.4% were clinically relevant. Eight percent of the surgical procedures resulted in complications classified as CMD grade IIIb or higher.

CONCLUSION

Despite the complex nature of surgery in pediatric patients with CHI or insulinomas, the majority had an uneventful recovery. Severe complications (CMC grade IIIb +) were, however, seen in 8%. Prospective, systematic postoperative complication score evaluation is encouraged in surgery for pediatric HI.