Intramural fibroma of the left ventricle.

Primary tumours of the heart are rare (Prichard, 1951; Hudson, 1965; Heath, 1968) and particularly uncommon is the intramural ventricular fibroma; only 36 cases had been reported up to 1967 (Geha, Weidman, Soule, and McGoon, 1967). Most of these intramural fibromas were found in infants and young children at either necropsy or thoracotomy, but over the past 15 years the diagnosis has been made before operation and in a few patients successful surgical removal has been accomplished (Parks, Adams, and Longmire, 1962; Geha et al., 1967; Bjork, Dahlgren, Rudhe, Zetterqvist, 1967; Kay et al., 1968; Osano et al., 1969). Because of the rarity of these tumours Freeman, Geer, Randall, and Palfrey (1963) suggested that cases should be reported in order to increase knowledge of their natural history, diagnosis, and treatment. The case described here is that of a young girl with a large intramural fibroma of the left ventricle, diagnosed preoperatively, who died at operation.