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Published on: August 8, 2025
Rapidly progressing left atrial hemangiopericytoma
Tamami Nakamura1, Hiroshi Ito2, Kensuke Sakata1
1Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Saiseikai Shimonoseki General Hospital, Yamaguchi, Japan.
Insights
A rare cardiac hemangiopericytoma in the left atrium was misdiagnosed as myxoma. Despite successful surgery, the patient experienced recurrence, highlighting the need for accurate diagnosis of this malignant soft tissue tumor.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Pathology
- Oncology
- Surgical Pathology
Background:
- Cardiac hemangiopericytoma is an exceptionally rare soft tissue tumor.
- Distinguishing it from more common cardiac tumors like myxoma is critical for appropriate management.
Observation:
- A 70-year-old female presented with symptoms of heart failure.
- Echocardiography revealed a large left atrial mass mimicking a myxoma, necessitating urgent surgical intervention.
Findings:
- Histopathological examination confirmed the mass as a malignant hemangiopericytoma, not a myxoma.
- The patient had an uneventful postoperative recovery but succumbed to local recurrence within four months.
Implications:
- This case underscores the diagnostic challenges posed by rare cardiac tumors.
- Accurate preoperative diagnosis and complete surgical resection are vital for improving outcomes in cardiac hemangiopericytoma.
- Further research into the behavior and treatment of cardiac hemangiopericytoma is warranted.
Abstract:
Cardiac hemangiopericytoma is a rare soft tissue tumor. We describe a case of hemangiopericytoma in the left atrium, which was diagnosed as myxoma preoperatively. A 70-year-old woman was admitted with heart failure. An echocardiogram showed a large myxoma-like mass in the left atrium, herniating into the left ventricle; therefore, an emergency operation was performed. Histological examination revealed a malignant hemangiopericytoma. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful, but she died due to a local recurrence 4 months after the operation.
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