ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Carcinoid tumors are uncommon, slow growing neoplasms. These tumors are capable of producing numerous bioactive substances, which result in significant hemodynamic and respiratory changes during anesthetic management.

CASE PRESENTATION: A case of 66 year old male, known hypertensive, operated for appendicular carcinoid outside four years back, presented with features suggestive of intestinal obstruction. On investigating, he was found to have recurrent carcinoid arising from the anastomotic site with no metastasis and was posted for tumor resection. Intraoperatively, following surgical manipulation of tumor, patient developed refractory hypotension.He was managed successfully with Octreotide, Chlorpheniramine maleate, Hydrocortisone and vasopressors.

CONCLUSION: Carcinoid crisis is an infrequent complication of neuroendocrinetumor that may be life threatening. It may develop during induction of anesthesia, intra-operatively during tumor manipulation, arterial embolization or even spontaneously. So the anesthesiologists should be prepared for carcinoid crisis, as absence of clinical findings preoperatively does not assure intraoperative hemodynamic stability.

Keywords: carcinoid crisis; carcinoid tumour;