A cardiac hemangioma treated by a right minithoracotomy approach with thoracoscopic assistance

Abstract

Cardiac hemangiomas are extremely rare tumors, accounting for only 2.5 % of all cardiac tumors. Most of these develop in the ventricles, and obtaining a good field of view is, therefore, the key to successful operation. A 40-year-old female visited a local hospital due to palpitation. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a spherical high-echo mass (13.5 × 10.7 mm in diameter) between the papillary muscles. She was referred to our hospital to undergo close examination. Cardiac contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging was performed to differentiate between malignant and benign lesions. However, this did not provide any findings leading to a definite diagnosis. To make a diagnosis and prevent embolism, the mass was excised using a right minithoracotomy approach with thoracoscopic assistance. The post-operative pathological diagnosis was a cardiac capillary-cavernous hemangioma. A right minithoracotomy approach combined with thoracoscopy allowed accurate evaluation of the mass in the left ventricle beyond the mitral valve and its accurate excision.