Cardiac papillary fibroelastoma presenting with acute coronary syndrome and syncope.
A 70-year-old female was admitted for syncope preceded by chest pain. On admission ECG showed signs of myocardial ischaemia and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) was mildly elevated. Acute coronary syndrome without ST elevation was diagnosed. During hospitalization transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) revealed the presence of a round echogenic pedunculated mass adherent to the aortic valve. Cardiac catheterization revealed normal coronary arteries. According to the hypothesis that the lesion could be responsible for both acute coronary syndrome and syncope, surgical intervention was scheduled. The mass was removed and the histological examination revealed a cardiac papillary fibroelastoma (CPF). CPF is the most common tumour of the cardiac valves, it is often found incidentally but it can cause myocardial infarction, sudden death, syncope and stroke; its embolization is the most common complication. For symptomatic patients surgical excision is curative.
Maestroni
Alberto
A
Department of Emergency Medicine, Ospedale Maggiore, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico, Milano, Italy. alberto.maestroni@tiscali.it
Zecca
Bruno
B
Triggiani
Michele
M
D000368:Aged; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D005350:Fibroma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013575:Syncope / Q000209:etiology; D019210:Troponin I / Q000097:blood
D019210:Troponin I