Giant right atrial hemangioma presenting with ascites: A case report.

INTRODUCTION

Cardiac hemangiomas are slow-growing benign tumours of the heart. Patients may be asymptomatic or present a multitude of signs or symptoms.

METHODS

We report herein the case of a 72-year-old woman with a giant right atrial mass. The patient suffers from abdominal swelling related to ascites. The histological examination of the tranjugular biopsy suspected an atrial myxoma.

RESULTS

The patient was scheduled for surgical excision of the cardiac tumour. Radical resection of a 13 cm mass was performed. The histological diagnosis revealed cardiac hemangioma.

CONCLUSION

Cardiac hemangiomas can rarely grow larger than 5 cm, cause few symptoms, and are easily confused with atrial myxomas. Hepatomegaly and ascites may be signs of cardiac hemangioma.