Hypotension following valve replacement surgery in carcinoid heart disease.

We report the use of adrenaline in a 62-year-old woman with carcinoid heart disease who underwent double valve replacement. She was given an intravenous infusion of octreotide throughout the peri-operative period. Following the termination of cardiopulmonary bypass she developed profound hypotension which proved to be refractory to various therapies but responded to adrenaline. Adrenaline is said to be contraindicated in carcinoid syndrome, but we would suggest the consideration of its use in such cases where the hypotension may result from myocardial depression rather than from a carcinoid crisis.