Treatment of metastatic Vipoma by liver transplantation

Abstract

We report the first case of metastatic Vipoma treated by orthotopic liver transplantation. A woman with explosive secretory diarrhea causing hypokalemic acidosis was diagnosed as having a vasoactive intestinal peptide secreting tumor with widespread hepatic metastases. The symptoms were initially controlled for 9 months with increasing doses of long-acting somatostatin analogue (Sandostatin, Sandoz Ltd, UK). Alpha interferon was not tolerated, causing an acute paranoid psychosis. Eventually orthotopic liver transplantation was performed with the removal of the primary tumor from the distal pancreas. Postoperatively, complications were associated with the distal pancreatectomy. The patient has no evidence of tumor recurrence on imaging or serum VIP level 12 months posttransplantation.