title: Cystic atrioventricular node tumor excision by minimally invasive surgery.
abstract: Cystic tumor in the atrioventricular (AV) node region is a rare cardiac primary tumor that can lead to sudden death. Our patient was a 43-year-old woman who presented with dyspnea and a first-degree AV block seen on electrocardiography. Echocardiography revealed a cystic mass attached to the inferior portion of the interatrial septum. After surgical excision of the mass, placement of a permanent pacemaker was required for complete heart blockage. Histopathologic examination revealed the mass to be a cystic tumor of the AV node region. To our knowledge, this is the first report of this condition diagnosed ante mortem and treated successfully with minimally invasive surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: lucio.careddu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Careddu
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pantaleo
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Savini
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Eusanio
authors.forename: Ornella
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Di Bartolomeo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001283:Atrioventricular Node; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D003560:Cysts / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures
keywords: 18