[Multiple carcinoid tumors of the small intestine]

Multiple carcinoid tumours of the small bowel with more than 3 lesions are very unusual. We report a case of a 44-year-old man who presented with more than 40 carcinoid tumours localized in the ileum, associated with hepatic metastases and carcinoid tricuspid valve involvement. The site of the primary tumour was not determined by usual imaging techniques. The patient underwent laparotomy in order to resect liver metastases. The diagnosis of multiple carcinoid tumours of the small bowel was made during the abdominal exploration. There was no intraepithelial endocrine cell hyperplasia in the mucosa adjacent to the small bowel tumours. After a 6-month follow-up, the carcinoid syndrome had completely disappeared.