Carcinoid tumors: Challenges and considerations during anesthetic management

Abstract

Carcinoid tumors are rare, slow-growing neoplasms of neuroendocrine tissues from enterochromaffin or kulchitsky cells, which have the potential to metastasize. The mediators released from these tumors when bypass the hepatic metabolism, can lead to the possible development of carcinoid syndrome. This is a life-threatening complication, which can lead to profound hemodynamic instability, especially in a peri-operative period, when the patient is exposed to various types of noxious stimuli. Off late, use of octreotide, a synthetic analog of somatostatin, has significantly reduced the peri-operative morbidity and mortality. The current review discusses the various anesthetic challenges and considerations during peri-operative management of carcinoid tumors.

Keywords

• Carcinoid tumor
• octreotide
• somastatin
• vasoactive mediators