A Case of Papillary Fibroelastoma of the Right Atrium with Pulmonary Embolism

(Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Federation of National Public Service Personnel Mutual Aid Association Shinbeppu Hospital, Beppu, Japan)

Tatsunori Kimura Toshihide Yoshimatsu
A 78-year-old man experienced transient palpitations. Echocardiography disclosed a mobile tumor measuring 8mm in diameter in the right atrium. Although the symptom was transient, surgical resection with cardiopulmonary bypass was performed because of the detection of multiple perfusion defects on lung perfusion scintigraphy. The tumor was found to be papillary fibroelastoma. Papillary fibroelastoma is a benign endocardiac tumor less frequent than myxoma and cardiac lipoma, and commonly arising from a heart valve. Papillary fibroelastoma arising from the right atrium is rare. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the mass has not recurred during one year of follow-up.
@Jpn. J. Cardiovasc. Surg. 35: 340-342 (2006)