Surgical management of tumors of the heart.

Abstract

I umors of the heart are of special interest to the cardiologist and surgeon because they are infrequent, and often misdiagnosed. Operative removal usually carries with it a good prognosis. Increasing accumulation of case material has greatly added to our understanding of the clinical picture, and therefore, the identification of a tumor of the heart is easier to make. However, there are still no reliable pathognomonic symptoms or signs. That misdiagnosis is still a common occurrence is evident in the case histories of patients we have treated. The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the special aids that may be used in establishing the diagnosis, and to describe some of the surgical considerations in the management of tumors of the heart.