Papillary fibroelastoma, a rare but potentially treatable cause of embolic stroke: Report of three cases

Cardiac Papillary Fibroelastoma and Stroke in a Young Man – Etiology and Treatment

“…Multiple soft and friable papillary fronds attached to the endocardium by a short pedicle give CPF a flower-like appearance, sometimes also described as a 'sea anemone' [4,8,15] . The tumor consists of fibrous tissue surrounded by an elastic membrane, covered by the endothelium [4,7,15] .…”

“…The estimated prevalence of primary cardiac tumor is 0.02% [7,8,13] , and CPF, accounting for only 7-8% of them, is the third most common after atrial myxomas and lipomas [4,7,14,15] . Although possibly found anywhere in the heart, CPF affects predominantly the cardiac valves (70-80%) [8,12] .…”

“…The tumor consists of fibrous tissue surrounded by an elastic membrane, covered by the endothelium [4,7,15] . This structure may be obscured by adherent thrombus [4,8,15] .…”

A Caudal Mesencephalic Infarct Presenting Only with Tetra-Ataxia and Tremor

“…In conclusion, CPF is a potentially treatable cause of embolic 'stroke in the young' [15] . Surgery excision is curative and should be the first choice.…”

“…Its pedicle makes removal of CPF usually easy. Selected patients, as in our case, may need valve replacement [9][10][11]15] . Oral anticoagulation is recommended only for patients who are not surgical candidates or for those whose tumor is asymptomatic and nonmobile [4,8,10] .…”