Pseudopapillary fibroelastoma of the mitral valve

Papillary fibroelastomas are well-recognized benign cardiac neoplasms. They are primarily asymptomatic, but occasionally are associated with neurologic and cardiac symptoms. Pseudopapillary fibroelastomas presenting with usual clinical and echocardiographic manifestations of papillary fibroelastoma but lacking characteristic histologic features have not been described previously. This article describes a 42-year-old, previously healthy female admitted with sudden hemiparesis and dysarthria. Symptoms completely resolved within 4 days. Extensive investigations revealed no etiology except for a pedunculated mitral valve mass with echocardiographic appearance suggestive of papillary fibroelastoma. Histologic staining, however, failed to reveal characteristic features of papillary fibroelastoma.