Anaesthetic management of carcinoid syndrome: interest of bispectral index.

This case report described the perioperative management of a patient undergoing laparotomy for ileal carcinoid tumor with liver metastases and preoperative carcinoid syndrome. During surgery, bispectral index monitoring, combined with classical blood pressure and heart rate, allowed to discriminate hypertension related to the carcinoid syndrom, from hypertension reflecting an inadequate level of anaesthesia. Consequently, adequate treatment by a somastotatin analogue could be early administered. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.