Papillary fibroelastoma: report of seven cases

The papillary fibroelastoma (PFE) is a benign heart tumor, mainly found in the valves. Most tumors are asymptomatic, but when present, they are nonspecific or related to embolic phenomena. They are usually diagnosed at routine imaging studies or valve surgery and autopsies. Its treatment is controversial, due to its rarity. We describe seven PFE cases diagnosed and treated at our institution between 1989 and 2010, which constitutes the largest national case series study of this pathology to date.