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Right Ventricular Heart Failure from a Cardiac Yolk Sac Tumor
Nicholas Isom1, Aniket S Rali2, Ivan Damjanov3
1Department of Internal Medicine , University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA.
The American Journal of Case Reports
|March 3, 2018
Summary
This case report details a rare instance of right heart failure caused by cardiac metastasis from a yolk sac tumor in an adult male. Early diagnosis and treatment of cardiac masses are crucial due to high mortality rates.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Oncology
- Pathology
Background:
- Cardiac metastasis from malignant tumors is rare.
- Yolk sac tumors, a type of germ cell tumor, can rarely metastasize to the heart.
Observation:
- A 46-year-old male with a history of testicular cancer presented with dyspnea.
- Echocardiography revealed two large intracardiac masses in the right side of the heart.
- Cardiac MRI showed decreased right ventricular function and possible outflow tract obstruction.
Findings:
- Surgical resection of the cardiac masses confirmed them to be yolk sac tumors.
- Despite surgical intervention, the patient's condition deteriorated, leading to fatal heart failure.
Implications:
- This case highlights the importance of considering rare etiologies, such as germ cell tumors, in the differential diagnosis of cardiac masses.
- Prompt diagnosis and management of intra-cardiac masses are essential for improving patient outcomes.
- This presentation is the first documented case of multiple right ventricular yolk sac tumor metastases in an adult male.
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