Pulmonary artery mass with PIK3CA mutation after orthotopic heart transplantation

Abstract

Abstract Background Patients can develop de novo malignancies following orthotopic heart transplantation. However, vascular tumors are not commonly described in this population. Case presentation We present a 69-year-old female with a history of orthotopic heart transplantation for chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy who developed an incidental pulmonary artery mass six years after her transplantation. Given concerns for malignancy, the patient underwent an operative excisional biopsy through a left anterior mini-thoracotomy with femoral artery and vein cannulation for cardiopulmonary bypass. The mass was determined to be a non-malignant vascular overgrowth with PIK3CA mutation. Conclusion We present the case of an unusual pulmonary artery mass with PIK3CA mutation found in a post heart transplant patient. We were able to spare her the morbidity of a redo-sternotomy by excising the mass via a minimally invasive left anterior thoracotomy approach.

Keywords

• Pulmonary artery mass
• Heart transplantation
• Minimally invasive surgery