[Myocardial fibroma. Apropos of a case followed for 11 years]

A case of myocardial fibroma of the left ventricle is described in a young girl. The association of recurrent ventricular tachycardia and radiological deformation of the cardiac silhouette suggested the diagnosis and it was confirmed by myocardial scintigraphy, echocardiography and coronary angiography. At surgery, the tumour was too extensive to be removed. After 11 years follow-up, control of the arrhythmias is satisfactory and there has been no apparent increase in the tumour size. A review of 116 cases in the literature confirms the poor prognosis of myocardial fibroma. The diagnosis was made at autopsy in 60 cases. The 56 remaining patients were operated. Total resection was possible in 37 cases and partial resection in 4 cases. The tumour could not be removed in 15 cases. Overall operative mortality was 35 p. 100 but the prognosis thereafter was good.