Minimally invasive resection of heart valve papillary fibroelastoma: two case reports and review of the literature

Abstract

Background Cardiac papillary fibroelastomas are rare, accounting for approximately 10% of all cardiac tumors, with 44% of cases located on the aortic valve and only 15% of cases located on the tricuspid valve. However, the optimal management of papillary fibroelastomas remains varied. Case presentation We present two successful instances of treating heart valve papillary fibroelastomas through minimally invasive surgery. These cases involved heart valve papillary fibroelastomas located in two common sites: the aortic valve on the left heart, which was accessed via an upper hemi-sternotomy, and the tricuspid valve on the right heart, which was accessed via beating heart total thoracoscopy. Conclusion The article consistently demonstrates the effectiveness of a minimally invasive surgical approach in managing heart valve papillary fibroelastomas. This study provides further evidence by presenting two cases of heart valve papillary fibroelastomas - one on the aortic valve and the other on the tricuspid valve - that were successfully treated using this approach, resulting in favorable outcomes.