title: Asymptomatic cardiac papillary fibroelastoma: diagnostic assessment and therapy.
abstract: Papillary fibroelastoma is a rare benign cardiac tumor with elevated risk for embolization. This report describes the case of a 65-year-old man, admitted for the occasional finding of a round, pedunculate mass adherent to the chordae of the anterior mitral valve leaflet, mimicking an endocarditic mass. Appropriate diagnostic evaluations lead to the suspect of a papillary fibroelastoma. Because of the elevated risk of thromboembolism, surgery was emergently performed with complete removal of the mass and preservation of the integrity of the mitral valve. Histologic evaluation confirmed the diagnosis. Papillary fibroelastoma should be always considered in the differential diagnosis of intracardiac masses.
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Cardiochirurgia, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, Ospedale di Circolo e Fondazione Macchi, Varese, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Borsani
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mariscalco
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blanzola
authors.forename: Cristian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leva
authors.forename: Vito D
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cozzi
authors.forename: Selenia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Casnedi
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dainese
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sala
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005350:Fibroma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male