Hemangiomas of the Heart. A Clinicopathologic Study of Ten Cases

The clinical and histopathologic features of 10 cardiac hemangiomas are presented. The patients' ages ranged from 2 weeks to 65 years (mean: 32 years). Eight patients had no other cardiovascular abnormalities, one was associated with intra-atrial lipoma, and one was associated with an anomalous origin of the left coronary artery. One patient had other hemangiomas of the oral cavity and small intestine. The tumors presented as pericardial effusion (2), sudden death (2), shortness of breath (1), incidental finding on chest X-ray (1), asymptomatic murmur (1), syncope (1), and incidental finding at autopsy (2). Location of the tumors included the right ventricle (4), left ventricle (3), atrial septum (2), and right atrium (1). All six tumors presenting in life were resected successfully, one requiring placement of a synthetic graft. Cardiac hemangiomas are usually sporadic; presenting symptoms depend on location in the heart; arrhythmias or sudden death can occur if the tumor is present in the basal region of the ventricular septum; surgical resection is feasible in other locations.