Surgical treatment of primary cardiac tumors in children

Objective: Summarizing the treatment experience of primary cardiac tumors in children.

Methods: The date of 24 children with primary cardiac tumors who underwent surgery in our department from July 2003 to September 2022 was collected and analyzed treatment efficacy.

Results: All patients completed the surgery successfully, including 21 cases of complete tumor resection, 2 cases of partial tumor resection, and 1 case of tumor biopsy. The location: 5 cases in the right atrium, 5 cases in the right ventricle, 6 cases in the left atrium, 6 cases in the left ventricle, 1 case in the left, right ventricle and ventricular septum, and 1 case in the ventricular septum. 23 cases were benign: 11 cases of myxoma, 7 cases of fibroma, 3 cases of rhabdomyoma, 1 case of infantile capillary hemangioma, and 1 case of lipoma. There was 1 case of borderline or malignant tumor. 23 patients were discharged successfully, 1 patient died of cardiac failure on the first day after operation. Follow-up was done from 5 months to 19 years and 2 months, 2 cases were lost to follow-up, and 1 case died of cardiac failure in the second year after operation due to severe mitral regurgitation. There was 1 case of tumor biopsy with space-occupying lesion gradually shrinking during follow-up. The prognosis of another 19 children with complete or partial tumor resection was good. There was no recurrence, enlargement, or reoperation of the tumor during the follow-up period.

Conclusions: Primary cardiac tumors in children are mostly benign. Surgery is effective, but the timing of surgery depends on the patient's condition.