title: Endoscopic cardiac tumor resection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study is to report our 9 years' experience with endoscopic cardiac tumor resection using the port access approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  From March 1997 to December 2005, 27 patients (mean age, 56.2 +/- 16.9 years; 70% female) underwent endoscopic cardiac tumor resection using endocardiopulmonary bypass and endoaortic-balloon clamp technique. Nineteen (70%) patients presented in New York Heart Association class I, 4 patients presented with embolic stroke, and 4 patients presented with atrial arrhythmias. All patients underwent echocardiography on admission, intraoperatively, at discharge, and at follow-up evaluation. Eight patients additionally required mitral valve replacement (n = 1), tricuspid valve replacement (n = 1), mitral valve repair (n = 2), mini-maze (n = 1), and closure of patent foramen ovale (n = 3). Mean follow-up was 3.4 +/- 2.7 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean endoaortic-balloon clamp and endocardiopulmonary bypass times were 68.8 +/- 30.8 minutes and 112.2 +/- 41.5 minutes, respectively. There were no conversions to sternotomy. Tumors resected were classified as left atrial myxoma (n = 20), right atrial myxoma (n = 3), lipoma (n = 1), intravenous leiomyoma involving the inferior vena cava and the tricuspid valve (n = 1), plexiform tumor of the sinoatrial node (n = 1), and papillary fibroelastoma of aortic valve noncoronary cusp (n = 1). There were no hospital deaths. Mean intensive care unit and hospital stays were 1.4 +/- 1.1 days and 7.3 +/- 3.4 days, respectively. Postoperative complications were evolving stroke (n = 1), re-exploration for bleeding (n = 1), and myocardial ischemia requiring stenting (n = 1). Follow-up failed to demonstrate residual or recurrent tumor. One patient had a small residual atrial septal defect. Ninety-two percent of patients appreciated the cosmetic result and fast recovery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endoscopic cardiac tumor resection is feasible and a valid oncologic approach with an attractive cosmetic advantage over median sternotomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, OLV Clinic, Aalst, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ranjit P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Deshpande
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Casselman
authors.forename: Ihsan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bakir
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cammu
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wellens
authors.forename: Raphael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Geest
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Degrieck
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Van Praet
authors.forename: Yvette
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Vermeulen
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vanermen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome