A case of diarrhea and orthopnea in a 57-year-old female

A 57-year-old female patient with known cardiac disease developed a 4 to 6 week history of diarrhea, followed by onset of orthopnea and subsequent right-sided cardiac failure. On hospital admission she was found to have pure tricuspid regurgitation, without evidence of cardiac ischemia, pulmonary embolism, bacterial endocarditis or pericardial disease. A 24-hour urine collection for 5-HIAA was elevated, and a subsequent octreotide scan documented abnormal uptake in the pelvic cul-de-sac. Bilateral ovarian masses were found at laparotomy, which on pathological examination were found to be a benign left ovarian cystic teratoma, and a right carcinoid tumor of the ovary. This patient presented with systemic complaints of diarrhea, and orthopnea and right sided heart failure that on evaluation were ultimately found to be due to a unilateral primary carcinoid tumor of the ovary, which accounts for less than 0.1% of all ovarian carcinomas, and only 5% of all carcinoids. Treatment of this malignant carcinoid syndrome presentation consisted of debulking of the tumor and continuation of her diuretics and digoxin. Diarrhea and orthopnea ceased within 2 weeks after her oophorectomy. On evaluation 6 weeks and 6 months postoperatively, her cardiac function was stable, though unchanged. 5-HIAA levels were within normal limits, demonstrating the curative function of surgery in patients with unilateral ovarian carcinoid without evidence of metastases, as well as preserved cardiac function in otherwise stable patients.