Percutaneous Intracardiac Mass Extraction in High Surgical-Risk Patients

Large intracardiac masses including tumors, thrombi, and vegetations result in detrimental embolic or obstructive sequelae and present a management dilemma. Open heart surgery, the traditional approach, may not be an option for many patients with a prohibitive surgical risk due to multiple comorbidities. Recently, percutaneous options have emerged with reported success in extracting such intracardiac masses. A 42-year-old female with history of advanced primary sclerosing cholangitis with decompensated liver cirrhosis causing ascites and variceal bleed presented to the emergency department with fatigue, subjective fevers, chills and melena. Laboratory results revealed neutrophil-predominant leukocytosis and normocytic anemia, and blood cultures were positive for Candida albicans. Electrocardiography showed sinus tachycardia. Chest X-ray was unremarkable. She underwent packed red blood cell transfusion and esophageal banding for variceal bleeding. Transthoracic echocardiogram revealed normal left ventricular ejection fraction and no wall motion abnormalities. A right atrial mobile mass measuring approximately 1.0 × 3.0 cm was noted. Multidisciplinary heart team discussion concluded that while the mass posed a high embolic risk, the patient had a prohibitive risk for surgical intervention. Successful percutaneous removal of the mass using Penumbra system device (Penumbra Incorporated, Alameda, CA) was accomplished. This case report details the procedure and outcomes, as well as presents a literature review.