Primary cardiac valve tumors.

Cardiac valve tumors are rare, but may have significant clinical manifestations. We report three cases of mitral valve tumor successfully treated by surgical excision. Two out of three patients presented with neurologic symptoms, and by utilizing echocardiography the valvular lesions were discovered. Surgical removal with preservation of normal valve tissue and function was accomplished without difficulty in all cases. A literature review was performed which comprises case reports of one hundred and twenty-eight patients. Most were asymptomatic, but when symptoms did occur, they could be disabling, such as stroke, myocardial infarction and sudden death. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography has greatly enhanced the ability to make this diagnosis in a timely fashion. Papillary fibroelastoma is by far the most common lesion and is amenable to simple surgical excision with minimal morbidity and mortality. Recurrence has not been reported.