Papillary fibroelastoma of the aortic valve in a patient with an acute myocardial infarction

We describe a patient with a myocardial infarction in whom a tumor near the aortic valve was identified by routine transthoracic echocardiography. Transesophageal echocardiography proved to be particularly useful in identifying the attachment of the tumor to the aortic valve and enabled a surgical approach through the ascending aorta. On microscopic examination, the tumor appeared to be a papillary fibroelastoma.