CHOP’s Congenital Hyperinsulinism Center Celebrates 20 Years and 500 Surgeries
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The Congenital Hyperinsulinism (HI) Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) celebrated its biggest breakthrough yet — 20 years of exceptional care and 500 surgeries — a number that far exceeds any other hospital.
Established in 1998, the HI Center was the first of its kind in the United States. Today, it the largest and most active HI Center in the world, treating children from across the country and globe. The HI team has reviewed the types and outcomes of its surgeries in a recent research article in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery.
Meet Alaya, who had the 500th pancreatectomy at CHOP.
Congenital HI is a life-threatening, genetic disorder in which the insulin cells of the pancreas, called beta cells, secrete too much insulin. Excess insulin causes low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Low blood sugar can be very dangerous, because the brain needs a constant source of sugar. If the brain doesn't get the sugar it needs, it can lead to seizures, brain damage, and possibly death.
Experience, combined with unique expertise in areas such as gene research, surgery and innovative treatment strategies, puts CHOP’s HI Center at the forefront of clinical care for congenital hyperinsulinism.
Contact: Kaila Revello, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 267-426-6054 or contikm@email.chop.edu
