[Cardiac angiosarcoma resected after definitive diagnosis by thoracoscope-assisted biopsy].
A 31-year-old woman presented with cardiac tamponade. Contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography(CT) revealed an inhomogeneously-enhanced soft tissue mass measuring 50×35×30 mm, which was in contact with the right atrial wall. The mass was definitely diagnosed as cardiac angiosarcoma by thoracoscope-assisted biopsy. The right atrial wall, including the tumor, was extensively resected, and then reconstructed with the equine pericardium. Postoperative radiation therapy was performed, but the patient developed malignant ascites with an intra-pericardial ectopic tumor recurrence. Additional radiation therapy was performed, but she died 177 days after the operation. Although thoracoscopeassisted biopsy is considered to be a useful diagnostic method for cardiac tumors on the surface of the heart, it carries the risk of spreading tumor cells. In the present case, the tumor should have been resected immediately after the prompt pathological diagnosis.
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Toyama Prefectural Central Hospital, Toyama, Japan.
Tetsuyuki
T
Ueda
Masami
M
Sotokawa
Minori
M
Tateishi
Shuichi
S
Hoshino
Yasushi
Y
Nishiya
Hideki
H
Miyazawa
Hideki
H
Shinnou
Akio
A
Nakata
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006394:Hemangiosarcoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D013906:Thoracoscopy