Primary right atrium angiosarcoma mimicking pericarditis.
BACKGROUND
Primary cardiac neoplasms occur rarely and most of them are benign. Malignant tumors including angiosarcoma are extremely rare and have a non specific clinical presentation and a poor prognosis.


METHODS
We present a case of a young male who was transferred to our hospital because of shock and multiple organ failure after a complicated pericardial biopsy. During the previous seven months he presented with recurrent episodes of pericardial effusions and tamponade. Chest computed tomography revealed a mass in the right atrium, infiltrating the myocardium and pericardium. During emergency surgery that followed, the patient died because of uncontrolled hemorrhage. Autopsy revealed the mass of the right atrium, which was identified on histological examination as primary cardiac angiosarcoma.


CONCLUSIONS
This case highlights the difficulties both in early diagnosis and in the management of patients with cardiac angiosarcoma.
Kontogiorgi
Marina
M
Department of Critical Care, Medical School of Athens University, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens Greece. medgrast@hol.gr.
Exarchos
Demetrios
D
Charitos
Christos
C
Floros
Ioannis
I
Rontogianni
Demetra
D
Roussos
Charis
C
Routsi
Christina
C