A 44-year-old woman underwent surgery for an asymptomatic primary tumor of the heart located in the right atrium. The tumor was detected incidentally during follow-up computed tomography for a resected breast cancer. The mass, lying along the lower portion of the right atrial septum, was homogenous and cystic in nature, as detected by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. Complete resection was performed via a median sternotomy under cardiopulmonary bypass. The postoperative course was uneventful. However, the histological result was surprising: the mass was a cardiac lymphangioma.

SummaryBackground: Early restoration of coronary artery patency in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been linked to improvement in survival. However, early recanalization of an occluded epicardial coronary artery by either thrombolytic agents or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) does not necessarily lead to left ventricular (LV) function recovery.Hypothesis: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation between persistent ST elevation shortly after primary stenting for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and LV recovery.Methods: Thirty-one patients with primary stenting for AMI were prospectively enrolled. To evaluate the extent of microvascular injury, serial ST-segment analysis on a 12-lead electrocardiogram recording just before and at the end of the coronary intervention was performed. Persistent ST-segment elevation (Persistent Group, n = 11) was defined as ≥ 50% of peak ST elevation and resolution (Resolution Group, n = 20) was defined as < 50% of peak ST elevation. Echocardiography was performed on Day 1 and 3 months after primary stenting.Results: At 3 months, infarct zone wall-motion score index (WMSI, 2.1 ± 0.6 vs. 2.7 ± 0.3, p < 0.05) was smaller in the Resolution Group than in the Persistent Group, whereas wall motion recovery index (RI, 0.4 ± 0.3 vs. 0.1 ± 0.2, p < 0.05)