Pulmonary embolization of papillary fibroelastoma. Arising from the tricuspid valve

Abstract

Papillary fibroelastomas are rare, benign tumors of the heart that often are incidental findings at autopsy or cardiac surgery, or during echocardiography. These tumors are predisposed to valvular involvement, and all such lesions detected by echocardiography have occurred in the left side of the heart, except for 3 on the tricuspid valve. Left-sided lesions have been associated with embolic phenomena; however, embolization of right-sided lesions has never been documented. We report a tricuspid valve fibroelastoma detected by 2-dimensional and transesophageal echocardiography, and confirmed by surgical excision and biopsy. To our knowledge, this is the 1st reported case of pulmonary embolization of papillary fibroelastoma arising from the tricuspid valve.