Carcinoid Heart Disease in a Primary Ovarian Carcinoid

Ovarian carcinoids are very rare, and only their insular form is associated with carcinoid syndrome. We herein describe a case report of an elderly woman who presented with typical carcinoid syndrome, which is routinely characterized by right-sided heart failure, diarrhoea, flushes, and other common manifestations. Further examination and biochemical testing of the patient confirmed suspected carcinoid tumor. However, the tumor was surprisingly localized in the left ovary. The presence of the patient's severe combined tricuspid valve disease would create impossible surgical management conditions, so we decided to first perform cardio-surgery with tricuspid valve replacement. After tumor removal, levels of hydroxyindolacetic acid did not normalize and although the patient was asymptomatic, a small lesion was detected by tectrotyd scan paravertebrally. Treatment with lanreotide led to complete remission with negative biochemical and imaging signs of tumor. Thus, to summarize, carcinoid tumor even in an atypical localization (ovary) should be considered in elderly female patients with severe combined tricuspid valve disease due to carcinoid syndrome.

Carcinoid syndrome; Ovarian carcinoid; Tricuspid valve.