Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2003; 51(2): 99-101
DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-38982
Case Report
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Ex situ Resection of Primary Cardiac Tumors

A.  Hoffmeier1 , H.  H.  Scheld1 , T.  D. T.  Tjan1 , M.  Schneider1 , S.  Kerber2 , C.  Schmidt3 , C.  Schmid1
  • 1Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital, Westfälische Wilhelms-University, Münster, Germany
  • 2Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, Bad Neustadt/Saale, Germany
  • 3Department of Anesthesiology and Operative Intensive Care, University Hospital, Westfälische Wilhelms-University, Münster, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Received: December 15, 2002

Publication Date:
05 May 2003 (online)

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Abstract

The prognosis of malignant heart tumors is pessimistic; 50 % of patients die within 6 months. No optimal therapy has been established, and standardized therapeutic concepts have not been developed due to the low incidence of this disease. In most cases, chemotherapy and radiotherapy have not shown any survival benefit compared to surgical treatment. Obviously, radical resection of the tumor is the most important determinant for long-term survival. Here, we report on two patients in whom radical resection of heart tumors could be accomplished only after explantation of the heart.