PEDIATRIC PRIMARY BENIGN CARDIAC TUMORS - A 15-YEAR REVIEW

An increase in the incidence of primary cardiac tumors has been report ed since the development or enhancement of noninvasive imaging modalit ies. We identified 56 children with primary cardiac tumors. Forty-four (78%) children had rhabdomyomas, 6 (11%) fibromas, 1 (2%) pericardial teratoma, 1 (2%) epicardial lipoma, 1 (2%) multicystic hamartoma, and 3 (5%) unspecified tumors. The mean age at diagnosis was 19 +/- 35 mo nths (median 4.7 months, range 0.03 to 204 months), excluding 12 patie nts who were given the diagnosis before birth. Among 27,640 patients a ssessed for cardiac disease, the incidence of tumors was 0.06% (1980 t o 1984), 0.22% (1985 to 1989), and 0.32% (1990 to 1995). Diagnosis was made in 55 of 56 patients by echocardiography. Catheterization was pe rformed in five patients and magnetic resonance imaging in nine. No tu mor-related deaths occurred. Nine patients had surgery because of hemo dynamically significant obstruction or arrhythmias. Partial or complet e regression occurred in 24 (54%) of 44 patients with rhabdomyomas. Ov erall, the prognosis was excellent. Individualized surgery allowed ear ly safe treatment of symptomatic tumors.