Capillary haemangioma of the tricuspid valve annulus: A rare presentation

To the best of our knowledge, very few tricuspid valves (TV) haemangiomas have been reported to date in the literature due to the avascular nature of the cardiac valve. We report the case of an otherwise healthy male presented with unexplained shortness of breath who was found to have tricuspid valvular haemangioma.

52-year-old male who presented with progressive dyspnoea on exertion for 6 months. Echocardiography revealed an echo-dense mass attached to the heart's anterior leaflet of the tricuspid valve. A cardiac MRI suggested it as pulmonary fibroelastoma, but a surgical excision biopsy revealed it to be a capillary haemangioma. Patient symptoms improved after surgery.

Cardiac valve tumour-like haemangiomas are rare, with the involvement of the tricuspid valve even rarer. Most TV haemangiomas are detected incidentally, however, they may present with a range of symptoms. Echocardiography is the mainstay of diagnosis however definitive diagnosis is by histopathology. Surgical excision is the treatment of choice, though surgery in asymptomatic patients is still controversial.

Cardiac haemangiomas are rare, with the involvement of the tricuspid valve even rarer. They should undergo surgical excision due to the risks of embolism, rupture, and sudden death.