Papillary fibroelastomas

Cardiac papillary fibroelastoma of a bicuspid aortic valve in an adolescent: A case report

Cardiac papillary fibroelastomas (CPFE) are exceptional primary benign cardiac tumours affecting the heart valves. We report here the case of a 15-year-old boy in whom echocardiography performed for non-specific chest pain during follow-up for bicuspid aortic valve showed as accidental finding the presence of a round mobile mass without stalk attached on the inferior side of the aortic valve. The mass did not cause any outflow tract obstruction or aortic insufficiency. Electrocardiogram-gated cardiac computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging allowed to suspect CPFE. Although the patient was asymptomatic, open cardiac surgery with elective surgical resection of the tumour was performed to avoid systematic emboli. Histology confirmed the diagnosis of CPFE. This is an exceptional case of acquired CPFE in a young patient with bicuspid aortic valve. Due to the risk of systemic embolization, aortic or coronary ostium obstruction, elective excision of such lesions is recommended.

[Diagnostics and surgical tactics for papillary fibroelastomas of the heart]

AIM

To investigate clinical, diagnostic and surgical aspects of papillary fibroelastomas of the heart.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Clinical, diagnostic and surgical aspects of papillary fibroelastomas of the heart were analyzed in 12 patients.

RESULTS

Diagnosis was obtained using two-dimensional echocardiography and transesophageal echocardiography or computed tomography. Surgical treatment involved isolated excision of the tumor or combined with valve repair or replacement in case of valvular involvement. Hospital mortality was absent.

CONCLUSION

Successful surgical treatment implies urgency, optimal exposition under hypothermic perfusion and pharmaco-cold cardioplegia, simple excision of the tumors and correction of comorbidities if it is necessary.

A tumor profile in Edwards syndrome (trisomy 18)

Constitutional trisomy 18 causes Edwards syndrome, which is characterized by intellectual disability and a particular set of malformations. Although this condition carries high mortality during prenatal and early postnatal life, some of the rare infants who survive the first months develop benign and malignant tumors. To determine the tumor profile associated with Edwards syndrome, we performed a systematic review of the literature. This review reveals a tumor profile differing from those of Down (trisomy 21) and Patau (trisomy 13) syndromes. The literature covers 45 malignancies: 29 were liver cancers, mainly hepatoblastomas found in Japanese females; 13 were kidney tumors, predominantly nephroblastomas; 1 was neuroblastoma; 1 was a Hodgkin disease; and 1 was acute myeloid leukemia in an infant with both trisomy 18 and type 1 neurofibromatosis. No instances of the most frequent malignancies of early life-cerebral tumors, germ cell tumors, or leukemia--are reported in children with pure trisomy 18. Tumor occurrence does not appear to correlate with body weight, tissue growth, or cancer genes mapping to chromosome 18. Importantly, the most recent clinical histories report successful treatment; this raises ethical concerns about cancer treatment in infants with Edwards syndrome. In conclusion, knowledge of the Edwards' syndrome tumor profile will enable better clinical surveillance in at-risk organs (i.e., liver, kidney). This knowledge also provides clues to understanding oncogenesis, including the probably reduced frequency of some neoplasms in infants and children with this genetic condition. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Robotic excision of aortic valve papillary fibroelastoma and concomitant maze procedure

Abstract: Cardiothoracic surgeons have utilized the surgical robot to provide a minimally invasive approach to a number of intracardiac operations, including tumor resection, valve repair, and ablation of atrial arrhythmia. We report the case of a 58 year-old woman who was found to have a mobile mass on her aortic valve during evaluation of atrial fibrillation. Both of these conditions were addressed when she underwent a combined robotic biatrial Maze procedure and excision of the mass, which proved to be a papillary fibroelastoma of the aortic valve.

Papillary fibroelastoma of the aortic wall with partial occlusion of the right coronary ostium

Papillary fibroelastomas are the most common cardiac valve tumors, although they represent less than 10% of all cardiac tumors. These benign tumors are increasingly incidentally discovered as the result of the widespread use of echocardiography. After a definitive diagnosis has been made, surgical resection is strongly advocated due to the risk of cardioembolic complications. We present a very rare finding of an aortic wall papillary fibroelastoma with a resultant partial occlusion of the right coronary ostium.

[Papillary fibroelastoma of mitral leaflet revealed by a cerebrovascular accident. Case report]

Papillary fibroelastoma is a benign primitive cardiac tumour, which can be associated with serious embolic complications. We report on a 37-year-old woman admitted for a cerebrovascular accident. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography revealed a small and pedunculated mass attached to the anterior mitral leaflet. Because of the severity of its symptoms and its high embolic potential, the tumour was surgically excised and histologically diagnosed as a papillary fibroelastoma. The postoperative period was uneventful and the patient was discharged at the third day. Papillary fibroelastoma must be surgically treated because of its high embolic potential and its severe prognosis.

Aortic valve papillary fibroelastoma that developed rapidly after open-heart surgery

The patient was a 76-year-old woman who underwent left atrial thrombectomy in November 2003 at our hospital. A mass adhered to the non-coronary aortic cusp was found during annual echocardiography, and the patient was admitted to our hospital. Transthoracic echocardiography detected two masses with pendulum-like movement: a 7-mm mass adhered to the non-coronary cusp and a 5-mm mass on the right coronary cusp. Papillary fibroelastoma was diagnosed based on the absence of inflammatory reactions or valvular destruction. Anticoagulant therapy was continued to prevent left atrial thrombus formation. At surgery, a 7-mm mass was adhered to the belly of the non-coronary cusp and a 5-mm pediculate mass was attached to a site near the nodule of Arantius of the right coronary cusp. Movable fibrous connective tissue 4 mm in length was present at two sites near the nodule of Arantius of the left coronary cusp, and these were also excised. All excised specimens, including those considered to be connective tissue, were found to be papillary fibroelastoma on pathological examination. Four papillary fibroelastomas that developed in all the cusps, including two small connective tissue-like morphologies and two sea anemone-like morphologies, indicated the process of papillary fibroelastoma growth and looked like 'a family'.

Minimally invasive resection of papillary fibroelastoma in a high-risk patient

Papillary fibroelastomas are rare, benign cardiac tumors that typically mandate surgical resection. These are usually approached through a median sternotomy with cardioplegic arrest and aortic cross-clamping. We describe the minimally invasive resection of a right atrial fibroelastoma performed on a beating heart via right mini-thoracotomy in a patient complicated by a previous laryngectomy, radiation therapy, and a left-sided pulmonary malignancy.

Robotic Resection of an Aortic Valve Papillary Fibroelastoma

Robotic technology has been applied to multiple cardiac surgical procedures. Purported benefits include decreased tissue trauma, reduced postoperative bleeding, fewer blood product transfusions, and shorter lengths of stay. We describe the case of a 50-year-old man with an incidentally discovered 1-cm mobile mass on the edge of the aortic valve noncoronary leaflet. The patient underwent robotic minimally invasive resection. The pathologic examination revealed papillary fibroelastoma.

Unusual Presentation of Papillary Fibroelastoma: Utility of Serial Transesophageal Echocardiograms

Papillary fibroelastomas are uncommon benign tumors usually involving heart valves that may be potential sources of emboli. Transesophageal echocardiography has greatly enhanced the ability to make the diagnosis of these surgically treatable tumors in a timely fashion. We describe an unusual presentation of a 62-year-old man with suspected bacterial endocarditis, in whom initial transesophageal echocardiogram suggested the presence of pacemaker lead infection but a repeat study after extraction of the pacemaker lead revealed a large pedunculated mass arising from the superior vena cava. The mass was surgically removed and histopathology revealed papillary fibroelastoma. This case is unusual with respect to the size and site of origin of the papillary fibroelastoma as well as its echocardiographic presentation mimicking vegetations on a pacemaker wire.

An unusual case of multiple papillary fibroelastoma, review of literature

Primary neoplasms of the cardiac valves are extremely rare. However, papillary fibroelastoma is the third most common primary tumor of the heart [Ann Thorac Surg 52 (1991) 1127]. These tumors can be found anywhere in the heart, but most commonly involve the cardiac valves [Ann Thorac Surg 52 (1991) 1127; McAllister HA, Fenoglio JJ. Tumors of the cardiovascular system. In: Atlas of tumor pathology, 2nd series, vols. 1-3. Washington (DC): Armed Forces Institute of Pathology; 1978. p. 20-5]. Most papillary fibroelastomas do not cause symptoms and are usually incidental findings by routine echocardiography or at autopsy. However, early diagnosis of this condition is important, since it represents a surgically correctable cause of systemic emboli, stroke, myocardial infarction, and sudden cardiac death [Ann Thorac Surg 52 (1991) 1127; Ann Thorac Surg 68 (1999) 1881; J Am Soc Echocardiogr 9 (1996) 353; Tex Heart Inst J 22 (1995) 327; Tex Heart Inst J 26 (1999) 298]. The echocardiographic findings should be confirmed by histology, since the clinical differential diagnosis includes myxoma, vegetation, thrombi, lipoma, and pseudopapillary fibroelastoma [Tex Heart Inst J 26 (1999) 298; J Am Soc Echocardiogr 11 (1998) 92; J Natl Med Assoc 87 (1995) 68]. Review of the literature reveals that multiple papillary fibroelastomas are extremely rare [Am Heart J 125 (1993) 1443; J Am Soc Echocardiogr 7 (1994) 315; Ann Thorac Surg 48 (1989) 119]. Li Manduri et al. [J Am Soc Echocardiogr 7 (1994) 315] reported multiple masses on the tricuspid valve, the larger of which was 1 cm in diameter. De Virgilio et al. [Ann Thorac Surg 48 (1989) 119] reported a case of multiple 1-cm papillary fibroelastomas located on mitral valve, left ventricular outflow tract, and along septum. We report an unusual case of multiple papillary fibroelastomas in a woman, who initially was admitted because of a shortness of breath and recent cerebrovascular accident.