A Case of a Neuroendocrine Tumor of the Small Intestine in which Capsule Endoscopy was Useful for the Diagnosis

Abstract

A 65-year-old man was admitted with a history of melena. Abdominal CT showed an enhancing tumor (30 mm in diameter) in the left lower abdominal cavity. For further investigation of the lesion, a capsule endoscopy was performed, which revealed a submucosal tumor in the small intestine. We performed five-port laparoscopy-assisted partial ileal resection. The postoperative course of the patient was uneventful. Histopathological examination revealed a neuroendocrine tumor of the ileum (G1) with lymph node metastasis. At present, the patient is alive with no evidence of recurrence.

Preoperative capsule endoscopy is useful for confirming multiple lesions of intestinal neuroendocrine tumor.