Autotransplantation of the Heart for Recurrent Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor

Abstract

We report a rare case of dyspnea caused by a cardiac tumor in a 53-year-old woman. The patient had undergone a cardiac tumor (inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, 6.2 x 4.2 x 3.3 cm) resection at our institute 13 months earlier. We performed preoperative evaluations which revealed a cardiac tumor originating from the posterior wall of the left atrium. Cardiac autotransplantation surgery (cardiac explantation, ex vivo tumor resection, cardiac reconstruction, and cardiac reimplantation) was successfully performed for the complete resection of the recurrent tumor without major postoperative complications. The patient showed good physical conditions for 21 months after the surgery. Cardiac autotransplantation is a safe and feasible technique for the complete resection of complex left atrial tumors.