Papillary fibroelastoma of the aortic valve as a cause of transient ischemic attack

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Mehmet H Akay1, Moritz Seiffert, David A Ott

  • 1Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. mhakay@hotmail.com

Texas Heart Institute Journal
|May 14, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Cardiac tumors can cause embolic neurologic events. This case highlights a papillary fibroelastoma of the aortic valve as a source of transient ischemic attack.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Neurology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Embolic neurologic events necessitate a thorough cardiac evaluation to identify potential underlying causes.
  • Cardiac tumors are an uncommon but critical differential diagnosis in patients presenting with embolic phenomena.

Observation:

  • A 42-year-old woman experienced a transient ischemic attack (TIA).
  • Diagnostic workup revealed the embolic source to be a papillary fibroelastoma.
  • The tumor was identified as originating from the aortic valve.

Findings:

  • Papillary fibroelastoma of the aortic valve can manifest as a neurologic event.
  • This specific cardiac tumor can embolize, leading to cerebrovascular events such as TIA.

Implications:

  • Clinicians should consider cardiac tumors, particularly papillary fibroelastomas, in the differential diagnosis of embolic neurologic events.
  • Early identification and management of cardiac tumors are crucial to prevent recurrent embolic events and improve patient outcomes.
  • This case underscores the importance of comprehensive cardiac imaging in the evaluation of unexplained embolic strokes.

Keywords:
Aortic valve/pathologyechocardiography, transesophagealfibroma/complications/diagnosis/therapy/ultrasonographyheart neoplasms/pathologyheart valve diseases/ultrasonographyheart valves/pathologytransient ischemic attack

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