Papillary fibroelastoma of the aortic valve in a β-thalassemia patient.

Papillary fibroelastomas are uncommon benign tumors with frond-like growths usually arising from the heart valves. The identification of their presence is of major clinical importance owing to the fact that although rarely symptomatic they can cause coronary occlusion, stroke, and even sudden cardiac death. We present an asymptomatic 38-year-old woman with homozygous β-thalassemia in whom transthoracic echocardiography incidentally discovered an aortic mass. Two-dimensional echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the diagnosis of papillary fibroelastoma. Valvesparing tumor resection, even in asymptomatic patients, is recommended as the standard therapy procedure.