Informação da revista
Vol. 33. Núm. 5.
Páginas 313-314 (maio 2014)
Partilhar
Partilhar
Baixar PDF
Mais opções do artigo
Vol. 33. Núm. 5.
Páginas 313-314 (maio 2014)
Image in cardiology
Open Access
Localized epicarditis mimicking right atrial mass
Epicardite localizada imitando massa auricular direita
Visitas
6141
Paolo Giuseppe Pinoa, Amedeo Pergolinia, Giordano Zampib,
Autor para correspondência
giordano.zampi@alice.it

Corresponding author.
, Andrea Vallonec, Giovanni Minardia, Francesco Musumecia
a Department of Cardiovascular Science, S. Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, Rome, Italy
b U.O.C. Cardiologia ed Emodinamica Ospedale Belcolle, Viterbo, Italy
c Department of Radiology, S. Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, Rome, Italy
Este item recebeu

Under a Creative Commons license
Informação do artigo
Texto Completo
Baixar PDF
Estatísticas
Figuras (4)
Mostrar maisMostrar menos
Material adicional (1)
Texto Completo

An 82-year-old Caucasian man presented with a history of worsening exertional dyspnea. Two years before the referral he had undergone transapical aortic valve implantation due to severe aortic stenosis. Transthoracic echocardiography was promptly performed: it demonstrated a mild pericardial effusion and a 7.3×4.6 cm homogeneous mass causing extrinsic compression of the right atrium (RA) (Figure 1) and severe functional tricuspid valve stenosis (mean gradient 6 mmHg) (Figure 2). To better define the mass and its relationship with adjacent cardiac structures, contrast chest computed tomography was performed, which confirmed mild pericardial effusion without pericardial thickening and revealed a low-density encapsulated mass arising from the wall of the RA and extending across the right atrioventricular groove (Figure 3), without enhancement.

Figure 1.

Transthoracic echocardiography, apical 4-chamber view, showing a homogeneous mass compressing the right atrium.

(0.1MB).
Figure 2.

Transthoracic echocardiography, continuous-wave Doppler on the tricuspid valve, showing severe functional valve stenosis.

(0.14MB).
Figure 3.

Computed tomography.

(0.12MB).

At thoracotomy, the parietal pericardium appeared normal, and 200 ml of straw-colored fluid was recovered from the pericardial cavity. The fluid was negative for malignant cells and consisted of a few benign and reactive mesothelial cells mixed with inflammatory cells. A cystic mass was located anterior and inferior to the RA, extending to the right ventricle and covered by thickened fibrous tissue, pericardium and epicardium. The right atrial and ventricular surface was covered with thick, white, glistening epicardium.

The mass was removed and a waffle procedure (multiple longitudinal and transverse incisions in the thickened epicardium) was performed without cardiopulmonary bypass.

The biopsy, performed after surgical removal (Figure 4), revealed lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate diagnostic of epicarditis.

Figure 4.

The mass as seen after surgical removal.

(0.08MB).

The patient's postoperative course was uneventful and his symptoms improved markedly.

Ethical disclosuresProtection of human and animal subjects

The authors declare that no experiments were performed on humans or animals for this study.

Confidentiality of data

The authors declare that no patient data appear in this article.

Right to privacy and informed consent

The authors declare that no patient data appear in this article.

Conflicts of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Copyright © 2013. Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia
Baixar PDF
Idiomas
Revista Portuguesa de Cardiologia
Opções de artigo
Ferramentas
Material Suplementar
en pt

Are you a health professional able to prescribe or dispense drugs?

Você é um profissional de saúde habilitado a prescrever ou dispensar medicamentos

Ao assinalar que é «Profissional de Saúde», declara conhecer e aceitar que a responsável pelo tratamento dos dados pessoais dos utilizadores da página de internet da Revista Portuguesa de Cardiologia (RPC), é esta entidade, com sede no Campo Grande, n.º 28, 13.º, 1700-093 Lisboa, com os telefones 217 970 685 e 217 817 630, fax 217 931 095 e com o endereço de correio eletrónico revista@spc.pt. Declaro para todos os fins, que assumo inteira responsabilidade pela veracidade e exatidão da afirmação aqui fornecida.