Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2004; 52(2): 77-81
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-817809
Original Cardiovascular

© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Radical Resection of Cardiac Sarcoma

A. Hoffmeier1 , S. Deiters1 , C. Schmidt2 , T. D. T. Tjan1 , C. Schmid1 , G. Drees1 , E. M. Fallenberg3 , H. H. Scheld1
  • 1Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany
  • 2Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany
  • 3Department of Clinical Radiology, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Received September 9, 2003

Publication Date:
22 April 2004 (online)

Abstract

We report on our experience with six patients with malignant sarcoma of the heart and show that long-term survival is possible after radical resection. At presentation, the 6 patients (3 male, 3 female) were 45.8 ± 20 years old. Three patients are alive without evidence of metastases since 29.6 ± 36.8 months, three patients died after 38 ± 50.2 months due to distant metastases.

Precise preoperative localization of the tumor by means of imaging techniques is very important. In some cases, radical surgery requires an ex situ procedure (autotransplantation). If necessary, the right heart can be resected almost completely, and reconstructed in the form of a Fontan-type circulation. A heart transplantation, as suggested by others, is not justified from our point of view, since prognosis is not better and donor organs are too rare. The results of radical resection are promising, but new concepts for treatment - in particular chemotherapy concepts - for these mostly middle-aged or young patients are required.

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M. D. Andreas Hoffmeier

Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
University Hospital Münster

Albert-Schweitzer-Straße 33

48149 Münster

Germany

Phone: + 492518347401

Fax: + 49 25 18 34 83 16

Email: andreas.hoffmeier@ukmuenster.de