Papillary fibroelastoma of the tricuspid anterior leaflet

Abstract

The case of a 50-year-old woman with an occasional diagnosis of cardiac tumor of the tricuspid valve is reported. At surgery, a single 2 cm x 2 cm polypoid gelatinous neoplasm infiltrating the anterior leaflet of the valve was resected and a tricuspid valve reconstruction along with annuloplasty was accomplished. The postoperative period was uneventful. A diagnosis of papillary fibroelastoma was made at pathology. This neoplasm, which represents a rare pathological entity, is more frequently localized on the mitral valve and usually stays asymptomatic for a long time. Only a few cases involving the tricuspid and pulmonary valves have been reported. Indication for surgery is related to a certain incidence of pulmonary embolism. Surgical removal of papillary fibroelastoma is a low-risk and definitive operation, as only one case of recurrence of the tumor has been reported so far in the literature.