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Published on: November 4, 2015

Left ventricular papillary fibroelastoma. An unusual cause of cerebral emboli

M Calderon1, O Talledo, D A Ott

  • 1Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Texas Heart Institute, St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Houston, Texas.

Texas Heart Institute Journal
|January 1, 1991
PubMed

Insights

A rare heart tumor, papillary fibroelastoma, caused a stroke in a 63-year-old woman. Surgical removal led to a full recovery, highlighting effective diagnostic and treatment strategies for this uncommon condition.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Neurology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Papillary fibroelastomas are rare, benign cardiac tumors.
  • Intracardiac tumors can lead to serious embolic events, such as stroke.
  • Cardioembolic stroke presents a significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report a case of cardioembolic neurologic deficit caused by a papillary fibroelastoma.
  • To discuss the diagnostic modalities for intracardiac tumors.
  • To review the management and surgical considerations for papillary fibroelastoma.

Main Methods:

  • Diagnosis was established using 2-dimensional echocardiography and transesophageal echocardiography.
  • The patient underwent surgical resection of the cardiac tumor.
  • Clinical outcome and recovery were monitored.

Main Results:

  • A 63-year-old female presented with a neurologic deficit attributed to a cardioembolic event.
  • Echocardiography identified a papillary fibroelastoma as the source of the embolism.
  • Successful surgical excision of the tumor resulted in an uneventful recovery.

Conclusions:

  • Papillary fibroelastoma is a rare cardiac tumor with significant embolic potential.
  • Echocardiography is crucial for diagnosing intracardiac tumors and their embolic complications.
  • Surgical resection is an effective treatment for symptomatic papillary fibroelastoma, leading to favorable outcomes.

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