A rare case of ovarian carcinoid causing heart failure

Abstract

Carcinoid tumours are rare tumours of the neuro-endocrine system. They most commonly present in the gut; however, they can present in other organs. In all, 0.3% of carcinoid tumours are ovarian in origin. Subsequently, very few cases of ovarian carcinoid affecting the heart have been reported and this case adds to the literature on this. There are very few reports in the literature of ovarian carcinoid and even fewer on cardiac failure due to carcinoid. Generally, carcinoid heart disease only affects the right-sided valves, sparing the mitral and aortic valves. We present the case of a patient who had an ovarian carcinoid tumour excised successfully and had been asymptomatic for 14 years prior to an incidental finding of right valvular signs on echocardiography, before subsequently right heart failure deemed to be secondary to ovarian carcinoid heart disease. The diagnosis is generally made on the findings of right-sided heart failure and the valvular abnormalities on echocardiogram (isolated pulmonary and tricuspid involvement). If the tumour is present at the same time as the development of heart failure, cardiac function can improve with timely tumour resection; however, cardiac disease can occur despite tumour removal.