title: Valve-sparing removal of aortic fibroelastoma through ministernotomy.
abstract: Cardiac papillary fibroelastoma is a rare benign tumor which involves the heart valves and may cause thromboembolism or mechanical interference with valvular function. The case is presented of an asymptomatic, 22-year-old man in whom a fibroelastoma was localized on the ventricular aspect of the right coronary leaflet of the aortic valve. The tumor was identified during transthoracic echocardiography performed to monitor a mitral valve prolapse that had occurred at the age of 16 years. The patient underwent surgical intervention by means of a minimally invasive thoracotomy. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged on postoperative day 5. Due to the high incidence of embolism, the tumor must be surgically removed immediately a diagnosis is confirmed. A minimal surgical approach appears to be safe and allows good exposure of the lesion.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiac Surgery, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Pavia, Universitià degli Studi di Pavia, Pavia, Italy. amgrande@libero.it
authors.forename: Antonino M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Grande
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Massetti
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Castiglione
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Viganò
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004452:Echocardiography; D005350:Fibroma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D008945:Mitral Valve Prolapse / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010210:Papillary Muscles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013249:Sternum / Q000601:surgery*; D013908:Thoracotomy