[Primary cardiac tumors in childhood: Three case reports in early infancy (author's transl)]

Three cases of primary cardiac tumors in early infancy are reported: 1) An intrapericardial teratoma which manifested as neonatal respiratory distress, cardiac enlargement and normal electrocardiogram. Diagnosis was not made during life. 2) A fibroma was diagnosed because of the presence of a greatly enlarged heart associated to ventricular tachycardia. Angiocardiography showed the tumor localized in left ventricle. Extirpation was attempted but resulted impossible. 3) A rhabdomyoma simulating severe pulmonic stenosis. Multiple tumors were detected by angiocardiography; only some of which could be extirpated. Histopathological examination was carried out on all the patients and a complete post-mortem examination on two of them. An extensive revision of the three types of tumors is described.