Left atrial hemangioma excision using minimally invasive endoscopic technique: a case report

Cardiac hemengioma’s are rare tumors and their management through minimally invasive endoscopic technique is not well documented. A 64-year-old lady presented with a history of worsening shortness of breath and arrhythmias. She was known to have hypertension, morbid obesity and chronic obstructive lung disease. Further investigations revealed a left atrial tumor, which was confirmed on coronary angiography by a “tumor blush”. Surgery was performed for this suspected vascular tumor through right mini thoracotomy using minimally invasive endoscopic techniques and histology confirmed it as a hemangioma. Although cardiac hemangiomas are rare, the same minimally invasive strategies that have been developed tackling the more common cardiac tumors can be applied successfully.