Clinicopathological features of adult right-sided cardiac masses: Analysis of 19 cases

BACKGROUND: Right sided cardiac masses are rare. The purpose of this study is to review the clinical experience and pathological characteristics of right-sided cardiac masses and to provide a prognostic analysis in our hospital. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 19 consecutive cases of right heart masses diagnosed in our institution from 2016 to February 2020. All available clinicopathological features, imaging characteristics and disease outcomes were summarized and presented. RESULTS: The subjects included 9 men and 10 women with a mean age of 48.5 years. The most frequent complaint was dyspnea. The most common site was the right atrium (42.1%) followed by the tricuspid valve (36.8%). Clinical diagnosis revealed vegetations in 8 patients (42.1%), thrombi in 7 patients (36.8%), myxoma in 1 patient, hydatid cyst in 1 patient and metastatic (secondary) masse was seen in 2 cases. In the 19 patients, 3 patients underwent surgery, 15 patients were managed with medical treatment, therapeutic abstention was indicated in one patient. 14 patients were all alive at the end of the follow-up period. In contrast, 5 patients were dead (26.3%). CONCLUSION: In our series, the majority of right cardiac masses were benign, outnumbering the malignant ones, as described in the literature. The mortality rate was relatively high about 26.3%.