PAPILLARY FIBROELASTOMA OF THE HEART (GIA NT LAMBLS EXCRESSENCES) - APATHOCLINICAL STUDY OF 10 OPERATED CASES

OBJECTIVES: The growing number of reports of surgery for papillary fib roelastomas of the heart led us to evaluate the diagnostic potential o f ultrasonography in patients with cerebral or coronary signs and to a ssess the efficacy of anticoagulant therapy in preventing recurrent ce rebral ischemia and disease progression after resection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ten cases of echographically diagnosed fibroelastoma of the h eart treated by surgery were analyzed together with cases reported in the literature. RESULTS: Transesophageal echography has been shown to be the superior method. Surgical resection has given good results and the postoperative course is always excellent. Recurrent embolism occur red in two of our cases despite well-conducted anticoagulation. DISCUS SION: Surgical resection should be performed as early as possible beca use anticoagulation does not appear to sufficiently protect against em bolic events, paticularly cerebral events.