Asymptomatic cardiac papillary fibroelastoma: diagnostic assessment and therapy

Asymptomatic papillary fibroelastoma of the mitral valve

We report an asymptomatic case of a papillary fibroelastoma adherent to the mitral anterior leaflet. Transthoracic echocardiography of an 85-year-old man with chronic atrial fibrillation and no thromboembolic episodes, revealed a cardiac tumor on the mitral valve. Transesophageal echocardiography demonstrated typical findings for a papillary fibroelastoma. The tumor was successfully removed using a shave excision technique. Currently, these tumors are found incidentally in asymptomatic patients by advanced diagnostic modalities.

Cardiac papillary fibroelastoma of the mitral chorda

We describe a case of cardiac papillary fibroelastoma in a 33-year-old man. The diagnosis was established by echocardiography. Computerised tomographic angiography gave no evidence of coronary stenosis, but illustrated a radiopaque filling defect in the left ventricle. The papillary fibroelastoma was removed together with the involved chorda, and an artificial chord was implanted under cardiopulmonary bypass. Histological study confirmed the diagnosis of papillary fibroelastoma. Due to the potentials of cerebral and coronary embolisation, surgical management to the patients with a papillary fibroelastoma is highly recommended.