# Papillary fibroelastoma originating from the atrial septum touching the mitral valve leading to infective endocarditis: a case report

## TL;DR

A rare case of a mobile heart tumor caused chronic valve issues and led to a life-threatening infection, highlighting the importance of accurate diagnosis.

## Contribution

Reports a rare case of papillary fibroelastoma from the atrial septum causing infective endocarditis.

## Key findings

- The tumor originated from the atrial septum and touched the mitral valve, causing severe regurgitation.
- The tumor was initially mistaken for a vegetation but was confirmed as a papillary fibroelastoma via histopathology.
- The tumor's movement likely caused endothelial damage, leading to infective endocarditis.

## Abstract

Cardiac papillary fibroelastoma is a rare benign tumor, which is often mistaken for a vegetation. Predominantly asymptomatic, it can cause life-threatening complications. Although rare, mobile papillary fibroelastoma movement between affected valves may hamper valve closure and damage the valve, leading to valvular regurgitation. Endothelial damage increases the risk of developing infective endocarditis. We report a rare case of a highly mobile papillary fibroelastoma originating from the atrial septum touching the mitral valve, leading to mitral regurgitation and, eventually, infective endocarditis.

A 26-year-old woman with suspected infective endocarditis was referred to us from a previous hospital after having experienced intermittent fever for a month. Before the fever, she had been experiencing exertional dyspnea. In addition, she had undergone a cesarean section two weeks before this admission. A transthoracic echocardiogram showed a mobile mass originating from the atrial septum touching the mitral valve with severe mitral regurgitation. Computed tomography revealed an occluded right profunda femoris artery with an embolus. Infective endocarditis associated with a mobile vegetation with high embolic risk was diagnosed, and urgent surgery was performed. Following the surgery, examinations revealed papillary fibroelastoma originating from the atrial septum and infective endocarditis of the mitral valve. The histopathological examination confirmed that a mass initially thought to be a mobile vegetation was a papillary fibroelastoma. The postoperative course was uneventful except for pericarditis. There has been no recurrence of infective endocarditis or papillary fibroelastoma.

The highly mobile papillary fibroelastoma was thought to have caused both chronic mitral regurgitation and infective endocarditis. Mobile papillary fibroelastomas can cause endothelial damage to nearby valves and predispose patients to infective endocarditis.