Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine

Original Article

Fatty Hamartoma of Epicardium.: Hyun Wook Kang, Jung Ran Kim, Jeong Wook Seo, Je G Chi; Korean J Pathol. 1989;23(1):132-135.

Abstract PDF: The fatty hamartoma of pericardium is characterized by abnormal accumulations of adipose tissue forming a recognizable mass. We reported a case that could best be put into "fatty hamartoma" group. This 66 year old male presented with atrial fibrillation came in for a anterior mediastinal mass. He received an operation for adenocarcinoma of ascending colon several months ago. The chest CT revealed an inhomogeneous mass in the right anterior mediastinal area, which was not clearly demarcated from the right cardiac border. The heart was deviated to the left side due to the mass. Surgical excision was performed under the impression of cardiac teratoma. The large mass was well encapsulated, and was bright yellow and partly pink, and measured 12x8 cm. Microscopically, the mass consisted predominantly of mature fat cells and abundant fibrous tissue with scattered nests of primitive cardiac muscle cells. Reviewing the literature we found the term "fatty hamartoma" could also refer to rhabdomyolipoma or fibrolipoma. Since it contains entrapped cardiac muscle cells, abundant fibrous tissue, multiple blood vessels and fetal fat cells, it could best the categorized into "hamartoma". The term "fatty" represents it's main component. Therefore we propose the term "fatty hamartoma" that could to be used further.

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