Jejunized colon: a rare complication of carcinoid tumor

A 23-yr-old female with a history of dyspnea, palpitation, productive cough, occasional hemoptysis, intermittent diarrhea, and abdominal pain was found to have metastatic carcinoid tumor and a "jejunized colon." Carcinoid tumors are relatively rare neoplasms found throughout the gastrointestinal tract, the ovaries, and the lungs. Barium enema showed a normal rectum and a pattern identical to jejunum in the proximal colon. Endoscopic biopsies confirmed the presence of small intestinal mucosa in the colon. Foreshortening of the colon was probably due to a desmoplastic reaction secondary to the carcinoid tumor. Histologic confirmation of these findings has never been described before.