title: Papillary fibroelastoma of the aortic valve in association with rheumatic heart disease: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Papillary fibroelastoma (PFE) is a rare primary cardiac neoplasm that is usually discovered incidentally at autopsy or during cardiac surgery. PFE combined with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is extremely rare, and only a few cases have been reported. Additionally, the growth rate of the tumor is unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here, we present a very rare case of PFE of the aortic valve combined with RHD, which were identified in a female patient who survived for 5 years without surgical intervention, and who subsequently underwent successful surgical treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PFEs may be generally slow-growing tumors, however, the better treatment of choice may be surgery because it produces good curative effects with very low risk of complications, while preventing serious disease consequences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 37 Guoxue Xiang St, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. dr_shijun@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 37 Guoxue Xiang St, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. zhixuan.bai@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Zhi-xuan
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 37 Guoxue Xiang St, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. Bengui.Zhang@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Ben-gui
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 37 Guoxue Xiang St, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. drguoyq@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ying-qiang
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005350:Fibroma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery