The diagnosis, morphological particularities, and surgical technique in a case of intravascular leiomyoma extended to the right heart chambers

Abstract

Intravenous leiomyoma is a benign smooth muscle cell tumor of uterine origin that may grow into the pelvic veins and the inferior vena cava. It usually affects premenopausal women and the majority (90%) are parous. Because cardiac involvement is present in up to 10% of cases, it may be misdiagnosed as a primary cardiac tumor or a venous thrombus-in-transit. We describe a case of intravascular leiomyomatosis with cardiac extension and the morphological particularities of the removed tumor.