Right Atrial Mass Biopsy Using Endobronchial Forceps

J Invasive Cardiol. 2023 Feb;35(2):E99-E100.

Abstract

A 72-year-old male with past medical history of complete heart block status post pacemaker in 2019, renal cell carcinoma, and thyroid cancer presented with a 4-cm right atrial mass incidentally found on routine transthoracic echocardiography. Cardiovascular computed tomography angiogram revealed an infiltrative mildly enhancing soft-tissue density along the right and left atrioventricular grooves, anterior interventricular groove, interatrial septum, free wall of the right ventricle, and right atria. Transesophageal echocardiography at the time of the cardiac biopsy revealed a heterogeneous mass extending along the interatrial septum into the superior vena cava, which appeared partially occluded, as well as probable involvement of the aortic root. After several attempts with traditionally used devices, an endobronchial alligator forceps was used to biopsy the right atrial mass under intracardiac echocardiographic guidance, with no complications.

Keywords: core needle biopsy; lymphoma; right atrial mass.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Atrial Fibrillation*
  • Biopsy
  • Echocardiography / methods
  • Heart Atria / diagnostic imaging
  • Heart Atria / pathology
  • Heart Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Heart Neoplasms* / surgery
  • Heart Ventricles / diagnostic imaging
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Vena Cava, Superior