Over the past 40 years, the incidence of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) has been increasing. Distal small bowel (i.e., midgut) NETs most often cause carcinoid syndrome manifested as cutaneous flushing, diarrhea, bronchial constriction, and cardiac involvement. Carcinoid abdominal crisis occurs when submucosal tumors impede the vascular supply to the gut leading to mesenteric ischemia and worsening abdominal pain. Here, we report the case of a young woman with progressively worsening abdominal pain.
Keywords: carcinoid abdominal crisis; carcinoid crisis; carcinoid tumor; malignant carcinoid syndrome; neuroendocrine tumors.
© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.