Surgical experience with right ventricular tumors in 17 patients.
OBJECTIVE
Resection of cardiac tumors in the right ventricle sometimes requires valve plasty or replacement. We retrospectively studied surgical treatment for right ventricular tumors.


METHODS
The study cohort consists of 210 consecutive patients who underwent surgical treatment for a cardiac tumor in our hospital between January 1990 and December 2008. Clinical findings were reviewed retrospectively, and a follow-up study was performed.


RESULTS
Of 210 cardiac tumors, 17 were located in the right ventricle. Of these17 right ventricular (RV) tumors, 13 were endocardial or intracavitary tumors, and 4 were epicardial tumors. Of the 17 patients, 5 underwent concomitant tricuspid valve surgery. Three of the five patients had endocardial tumors and underwent Kay annuloplasty; the other two had epicardial tumors, one of whom underwent reconstruction of the tricuspid annulus by suturing of an autologous pericardial strip, and one had tricuspid valve replacement with a 31-mm Hancock valve. Of the five patients with concomitant tricuspid valve surgery, none had an increase to grade 3 tricuspid regurgitation during follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
Tricuspid valve annuloplasty for resection of RV tumors may be necessary, even for palliative operations, to improve the hemodynamics.
Komoda
Satsuki
S
Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany. satsuki@dhzb.de
Komoda
Takeshi
T
Weng
Yuguo
Y
Hetzer
Roland
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014261:Tricuspid Valve / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery