Aortic valvular fibroma as a source of systemic emboli in POEMS syndrome

In a young woman with POEMS syndrome and two systemic embolic events, transesophageal echocardiography revealed a small mobile aortic valve mass. At surgery, an aortic valvular papillary fibroma, with areas of attached thrombus, was removed. This case underlines the importance of transesophageal echocardiography in identifying cardiac sources of emboli.