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Cardiac varix in the right atrium
Manabu Shiraishi1, Chieri Kimura, Atsushi Yamaguchi
1Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Saitama Red Cross Hospital, Saitama, Japan. manabu@omiya.jichi.ac.jp
Interactive Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery
|February 9, 2012
Summary
A rare cardiac varix, a vascular anomaly, was discovered as an asymptomatic tumor in the right atrium. Surgical resection was successful, with no recurrence noted at 10-month follow-up.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Vascular Surgery
- Pathology
Background:
- Cardiac tumors are rare, and mobile masses in the right atrium warrant thorough investigation.
- Distinguishing between neoplastic and non-neoplastic masses is crucial for appropriate management.
Observation:
- A 73-year-old male presented with an incidental finding of a mobile mass in the right atrium.
- Imaging modalities including transthoracic echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography, and computed tomography were utilized for diagnosis.
Findings:
- Surgical exploration revealed the mass was attached to the right atrial septum.
- Histopathological examination confirmed the mass to be a cardiac varix with phleboliths.
- The patient experienced an uncomplicated postoperative recovery.
Implications:
- This case highlights the importance of considering vascular anomalies like cardiac varices in the differential diagnosis of cardiac masses.
- Accurate histopathological diagnosis is essential for guiding treatment and predicting prognosis.
- Complete surgical resection appears to be an effective treatment for symptomatic or incidentally discovered cardiac varices.
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