St Vincents Private Hospitals

Cardiac tumour removal is a surgical procedure to remove a growth from the heart. There are many different types of cardiac tumour. They can be either malignant (cancerous) or benign (non-cancerous), and they can cause painful symptoms and compromise the heart function. For non-cancerous tumours such as myxomas, the success rate for removal is very high. For more complex malignant tumours, complete removal is not always possible although a partial removal may relieve some symptoms. The procedure is typically performed as open-heart surgery. During the operation, the tumour is cut away and the heart is reconstructed where necessary.

What does it do?

The primary objective of cardiac tumour removal is to relieve symptoms and protect your heart health. Without surgery, heart tumours can cause related complications such as blood flow disruption, potential blood clots (embolism) and damage to the heart valves and structure. Once the cardiac tumour is surgically removed, it can be evaluated and diagnosed to assess whether any more treatment is required.

How does it work?

The type of cardiac tumour removal surgery will depend on the location and type of heart tumour present. The surgery works by cutting the tumour away from the healthy heart tissue, and repairing the heart structure left behind. Minimally invasive surgery may be available where the tumours are smaller and easily accessible. By removing the tumour, this relieves symptoms and reduces the risk of health complications.