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Surgical treatment for cardiac rhabdomyomas in children
J P Jacobs1, A K Konstantakos, F W Holland
1Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center, Florida.
Insights
Surgical intervention can improve outcomes for infants with cardiac rhabdomyomas, the most common pediatric heart tumors. Prompt resection is recommended for tumors causing significant symptoms like heart failure or arrhythmias.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Cardiac Surgery
- Oncology
Background:
- Cardiac rhabdomyomas are the most frequent cardiac tumors in pediatric patients.
- These tumors can lead to severe complications including blood flow obstruction, valvular dysfunction, and arrhythmias.
Observation:
- Two infant cases of cardiac rhabdomyomas managed with surgical intervention are presented.
- Literature review on the surgical management of pediatric cardiac rhabdomyomas is included.
Findings:
- Surgical treatment can significantly improve the prognosis for infants with symptomatic cardiac rhabdomyomas.
- Untreated symptomatic tumors have a poor prognosis, often leading to mortality from heart failure or arrhythmias.
Implications:
- Resection of pediatric cardiac rhabdomyomas is indicated when tumors cause hemodynamic compromise or cardiac arrhythmias.
- Surgical management offers a potentially life-saving option for affected infants.
- Early surgical consideration may improve long-term outcomes for children with cardiac rhabdomyomas.
Abstract:
Cardiac rhabdomyomas are the most common cardiac tumor in children. These tumors may cause obstruction to blood flow, valvular insufficiency, and cardiac arrhythmias. We present two cases of cardiac rhabdomyomas in infants that were managed surgically and review the literature. Without surgical intervention, the prognosis for symptomatic cardiac rhabdomyomas is dismal, with eventual death likely due to heart failure or arrhythmias. As our two cases indicate, surgical treatment may improve this prognosis. Pediatric cardiac rhabdomyomas should be resected when the tumors cause hemodynamic compromise or cardiac arrhythmias.