Surgical Resection of Mitral Valve Papillary Fibroelastoma: A Robot-Assisted, Minimally Invasive Approach with Three-Dimensional Transesophageal Echocardiography Imaging

Crystal R. Bonnichsen, Harold M. Burkhart, Kyle W. Klarich, Rakesh M. Suri

Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA.
Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA.

DOI: 10.4236/wjcs.2012.22004                

Abstract

Papillary fibroelastomas (PFEs) are benign tumors of the endocardium that most frequently affect cardiac valves and typically present with embolic symptoms such as stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). Surgical excision is usually recommended for left-sided tumors and is associated with excellent long-term outcomes. The use of a robot-assisted, minimally invasive surgical approach for management of mitral valve disease is growing, and has been associated with shorter hospital stays and improved early quality of life. Three-dimensional (3D) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) offers several advantages in the assessment of mitral valve disease and cardiac tumors, including the ability to precisely locate the site of attachment of the mass and the spatial relationships to surrounding structures. These factors are particularly important when planning a surgical approach. We report two cases of mitral valve PFEs which were successfully removed using a robot-assisted, minimally invasive surgical approach with 3D TEE imaging. This approach to treatment of PFEs is an attractive alternative to the traditional approach involving median sternotomy.

Keywords

Papillary Fibroelastoma; Robotic Surgery; Three-Dimensional Transesophageal Echocardiography

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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