Lipomatous hamartoma of the tricuspid valve: echocardiographic-pathologic correlations

We report the eighth example of a cardiac valvular hamartoma (five mitral, three tricuspid). An intracavitary right atrial mass was present in a 76-year-old man and was characterized echocardiographically by a mobile cystic structure involving the septal tricuspid leaflet. Microscopically, the affected leaflet was comprised predominantly of mature adipose tissue. Formation of a valvular windsock in this case was attributed to the chronic effect of right ventricular pressure on tissue that was weaker than a normal leaflet. Valvular hamartomas should be included in the differential diagnosis of lesions that produce prolapsing, cystic, or windsock malformations of atrioventricular valves.