INTRODUCTION: Papillary fibroelastoma (PFE) is a benign cardiac tumor that is currently detected more often due to the technological improvements in echocardiography. OBJECTIVES: To describe the echocardiographic features of PFE and correlate them with the clinical presentation and initial treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective analysis of patients with a diagnosis of PFE was conducted between 2000 and 2015. We assessed the clinical history, symptoms at the time of diagnosis, echocardiographic features, and initial treatment. RESULTS: Fifty-four patients with a diagnosis of PFE by echocardiography were included. The incidence was 0.038%. Mean age was 62±16 years; 50% were male. Forty-six percent of patients had symptoms at the time of diagnosis, the most frequent of which was transient ischemic accident (TIA). Embolic episodes occurred in 31% of patients, mainly to the brain. PFEs were valvular in 70.4% of cases and multiple in 13%. Mean maximum length was 1.18±0.58 cm, and 44% were mobile. PFEs >1.5 cm were most often found in the heart valves (56.8% vs 10.8%; P=.045). There was no significant relation between size, mobility, location and number of tumors, and the presence of embolism or symptoms. Most frequent treatment was oral anticoagulation in 48.6%, followed by simple tumor resection in 42.8% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: PFE is a small tumor, predominantly valvular and benign, but entails a high incidence of cerebral embolism. The initial approach should be individualized according to clinical manifestations, comorbidities, and the experience of the surgical center.
INTRODUCTION:Papillary fibroelastoma (PFE) is a benign cardiac tumor that is currently detected more often due to the technological improvements in echocardiography. OBJECTIVES: To describe the echocardiographic features of PFE and correlate them with the clinical presentation and initial treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective analysis of patients with a diagnosis of PFE was conducted between 2000 and 2015. We assessed the clinical history, symptoms at the time of diagnosis, echocardiographic features, and initial treatment. RESULTS: Fifty-four patients with a diagnosis of PFE by echocardiography were included. The incidence was 0.038%. Mean age was 62±16 years; 50% were male. Forty-six percent of patients had symptoms at the time of diagnosis, the most frequent of which was transient ischemic accident (TIA). Embolic episodes occurred in 31% of patients, mainly to the brain. PFEs were valvular in 70.4% of cases and multiple in 13%. Mean maximum length was 1.18±0.58 cm, and 44% were mobile. PFEs >1.5 cm were most often found in the heart valves (56.8% vs 10.8%; P=.045). There was no significant relation between size, mobility, location and number of tumors, and the presence of embolism or symptoms. Most frequent treatment was oral anticoagulation in 48.6%, followed by simple tumor resection in 42.8% of cases. CONCLUSIONS:PFE is a small tumor, predominantly valvular and benign, but entails a high incidence of cerebral embolism. The initial approach should be individualized according to clinical manifestations, comorbidities, and the experience of the surgical center.
Authors: Tomás Francisco Cianciulli; Lucia Raquel Kazelián; María Florencia Cichello; Andrea Zappi; Daiana Solange Testa Diaz; María Cristina Saccheri; Juan Alberto Gagliardi Journal: J Echocardiogr Date: 2018-12-18
Authors: Rohan M Prasad; Abdul-Fatawu Osman; Christopher C Garces; Robert Gumbita; Ahmed Elshafie; Pranay Pandrangi; Michael Kehdi Journal: Perm J Date: 2021-11-12
Authors: Tomás Francisco Cianciulli; María Cristina Saccheri; Alberto Cozzarín; Jorge Alberto Lax; Mario Enrique Simonetti Journal: Heart Views Date: 2018 Oct-Dec