Calcified amorphous tumors with excision in hemodialysis patients: report of 2 cases

• Published in: Kyobu geka. The Japanese journal of thoracic surgery Vol. 59; no. 9; p. 851
• Main Authors: Morishima, Atsutomo, Sasahashi, Nozomu, Ueyama, Koji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japan 01-08-2006
• Subjects: Aged; Calcinosis - diagnosis; Cardiomyopathies - diagnosis; Diagnosis, Differential; Heart Neoplasms - diagnosis; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Renal Dialysis
• ISSN: 0021-5252

We report 2 cases of calcified amorphous tumor (CAT) in hemodialysis patients. Case 1 is a 68-year-old man who had received hemodialysis for 11 years due to diabetic nephropathy with renal failure. He was admitted because of shortness of breath. After appropriate diagnostic testing, we found a 7 mm movable tumor on the side of the left atrium causing stenosis at the base of the left anterior descending artery (LAD). We suspected this to be a myxoma. We performed a myxomectomy and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The tumor had a stalk and hemogenesis on the surface. Case 2 is a 63-year-old man who had received continuous ambulatory peritoneal hemodialysis for 18 months due to diabetic nephropathy with renal failure. He was admitted because of subjective complaints of chest compression and shortness of breath. Ultrasound cardiography revealed 16 mm tumor on the posterior mitral valve leaflet with mild mitral regurgitation. We removed the tumor and placed a mitral valve prosthesis. Grossly the tumor was encapsulated with endocardium. On pathological examination, both tumors were CATs. CAT is a lesion characterized by calcified fibrin deposits. Preoperative diagnosis of these tumors is difficult. While many surgeons elect to conservatively watch these tumors among dialysis patients, when they are movable, there is a risk of embolism and we should remove the tumor early.