Liposarcoma of the heart. A case report

Abstract

The authors report a tumor of the heart in a 33-year-old man. Preoperative diagnosis was of a cardiac myxoma. Upon operation, the tumor was revealed to arise from the right atrial free wall, occupying most of the atrial and ventricular cavities and causing a noticeable enlargement and obstruction of the tricuspid valve as well as the mentioned cardiac chambers. A smaller part of the tumor was placed on the outside of the right atrial wall, and implants of the tumor in the distal part of the aorta, extending backward to the bifurcation of the pulmonary artery and its branches, were also observed. Histological examination showed a myxoid-type tumor with light and ultrastructural features of liposarcoma. The patient died 13 months after surgery with regional extension of the tumor.