Cavernous hemangioma of the tricuspid valve: minimally invasive surgical resection

Cardiac hemangioma is a rare, benign vascular tumor, occurring with an incidence of 1% to 2% of all detected benign heart neoplasms. Hemangioma of the tricuspid valve has never been previously reported. We describe the successful excision of this tumor through a right anterolateral mini-thoracotomy in a 49-year-old woman. Competency of the valve was confirmed intraoperatively and at discharge by transesophageal echocardiography. (C) 2003 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.