Carcinoid constrictive pericarditis

Heart. 1999 Nov;82(5):641-3. doi: 10.1136/hrt.82.5.641.

Abstract

A 78 year old man presented with diarrhoea, anorexia, and progressive lower limb oedema. He was in atrial fibrillation and had a right pleural effusion and ascites. Ultrasound of the abdomen and 24 hour urinary hydroxyindoleacetic acid output indicated metastatic carcinoid syndrome. Cardiac catheterisation revealed pericardial constriction, and pericardial exploration showed a greatly thickened pericardium with no evidence of tumour invasion. The patient died within 24 hours of surgery. Necropsy findings were consistent with a diagnosis of constrictive pericarditis secondary to metastatic carcinoid syndrome.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Humans
  • Ileal Neoplasms / complications*
  • Ileal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology
  • Liver Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Male
  • Malignant Carcinoid Syndrome / complications*
  • Malignant Carcinoid Syndrome / pathology
  • Pericarditis, Constrictive / complications*
  • Pericarditis, Constrictive / pathology
  • Pericardium / pathology