Surgery for Cardiac Papillary Fibroelastoma: A 12-Year Single Institution Experience

BACKGROUND: We reviewed our clinical experience with cardiac papillary fibroelastoma from 2005 to 2017. The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical and operative data, as well as the early survival rate and immediate postoperative complications. MATERIAL/METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 11 patients (eight males and three females) who underwent resection of cardiac papillary fibroelastoma in our institution. RESULTS: Mean age at tumor diagnosis was 60±14 years. The mean dimension of the tumor was 14±11 mm. The most common symptoms were dyspnea, palpitation, and angina pectoris, while one patient had recurrent fever attacks and another patient had a transient ischemic attack. Two patients had concomitant malignant tumors (cervical and colon carcinoma) and another two had concomitant benign neoplasms (liver cyst and thyroid adenoma). Bypass and cross clamp times were 77±32 minutes and 54±18 minutes, respectively. The tumors were found predominantly on cardiac valves (n=7). In eight cases, only tumor extirpation was performed, whereas in the other three cases, the valves had to be replaced. The mean intensive care unit length of stay was 1.1±0.3 days and there was no in-hospital mortality. All patients were alive at one-year follow-up and the survival rate was 91% in the mean follow-up period of 4.15 years. CONCLUSIONS: The surgical treatment of cardiac papillary fibroelastoma was curative and safe. Thus, potential complications such as embolization or mechanical irritation of the valves can be avoided without high surgical risk.