Carcinoid somatostatinoma of the papilla of Vater: a case report.

A 57 year-old Japanese man with a carcinoid somatostatinoma of the papilla of Vater is presented. He was found to have cholecystolithiasis without any symptoms. Physical examination showed no abnormal findings. Routine laboratory data gave normal results, except for glucose intolerance and an elevated somatostatin concentration. A yellowish papillary tumor was found at the papilla of Vater, and histological examination suggested the diagnosis of carcinoid. He underwent a pancreatoduodenectomy in March 1992. The gallbladder contained a single pure cholesterol stone. Histological, immunohistochemical, and electron microscopic studies resulted in the diagnosis of a carcinoid somatostatinoma of the papilla of Vater, without regional lymph node metastases. Post-operative pancreatic juice output from the total pancreatic duct drainage increased to more than 1000 mL/day. Although an anastomotic leakage of the pancreatojejunostomy was noted, the pancreatic fistula closed 8 weeks later. His postoperative somatostatin value was normal. He has been well for 54 months following surgery, without any signs of recurrence.