[Tumors of cardiac ventricles (author's transl)]

Clinical and pathological findings are reported in 3 cases of cardiac tumors involving the ventricular septum and free walls. In 2 cases death occurred at ages 4 hours and 3 1/2 years and the pathological study revealed the presence of rhabdomyomas in the heart and tuberous sclerosis in the brain. The cardiac involvement was much more pronounced in the newborn infant than in the 3 1/2-year-old boy. The remaining patient, is a 6-month-old infant who is still alive. An angiocardiographic study performed at age 1 1/2-months revealed the presence of multple filling defects which were localized in the ventricular septum and in the left ventricular free wall. The angiocardiography was indicated on the basis of a previous clinical situation of severe heart failure which had been difficult to bring under control. A discussion is also presented dealing with the most characteristic clinical features of cardiac tumors in infants and children.