Surgical Treatment of Primary Cardiac Tumor Associated with Malignant Arrhythmias

OBJECTIVE: Pediatric primary cardiac tumor is an extremely rare disease. The tumor can extend into the conduction system and cause malignant arrhythmias. We retrospectively reviewed 6 consecutive cases of children with primary cardiac tumor that manifested as rhythm disturbance. METHODS: In our center, 6 children were enrolled from October 2009 to August 2016. Detailed operative data and follow-up information were comprehensively collected and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The patients were ages 1 to 16 years and weighed 7.9 to 44.5 kg. Preoperative ventricular tachycardia was present in 3 patients, frequent ventricular ectopic beats in 1 patient, supraventricular tachycardia in 1 patient, and atrial flutter in 1 patient. All 6 patients underwent a complete tumor resection. The tumors were localized in the left ventricular free wall (3 patients), left ventricular outflow tract (1 patient), left atrium (1 patient), and right atrium (1 patient). One patient received 2 radiofrequency ablation procedures before tumor resection. Postoperative sick sinus syndrome occurred in 1 patient because the tumor infiltrated the sinoatrial node. Tumors from 2 patients were pathologically diagnosed as fibroma and 4 as rhabdomyoma. Reoperation of mitral valve repair was performed in 1 patient 1 year after tumor resection. The mean (± SD) follow-up time was 63.7 ± 31.4 months, and all children were well, with Ross functional classification I and no signs of recurrence or metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, cardiac tumor is a rare but nonneglectable reason for arrhythmia, and surgical resection is the optimal procedure, with satisfactory results.