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Cardiac lipoma causing obstructive sleep apnea: A case report

Miljković Tatjana (Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases of Vojvodina, Clinic of Cardiology, Sremska Kamenica + University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Medicine, Novi Sad)
Drljević-Todić Vanja (Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases of Vojvodina, Clinic of Cardiology, Sremska Kamenica + University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Medicine, Novi Sad)
Pantić Teodora (Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases of Vojvodina, Clinic of Cardiology, Sremska Kamenica)
Velicki Lazar (Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases of Vojvodina, Clinic of Cardiovascular Surgery, Sremska Kamenica + University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Medicine, Novi Sad)
Lazarević Aleksandar (Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases of Vojvodina, Clinic of Cardiology, Sremska Kamenica)
Samardžija Golub (Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases of Vojvodina, Clinic of Cardiology, Sremska Kamenica + University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Medicine, Novi Sad)

Introduction. Cardiac lipomas are rare benign cardiac tumors. The symptoms they cause and the diagnosis depend on their size and location. Case Report. We report the case of a 69-year-old male, whose main symptom was progressive dyspnea on exertion and in the supine position. The diagnosis of a large subepicardial lipoma in the wall of the right atrium, causing superior vena cava compression and consecutive obstructive sleep apnea syndrom, was made using different imaging techniques. The patient underwent open heart surgery, and the tumor was extracted with no intraoperative and postoperative complications. During a 1-year follow up, he remained asymptomatic, with no clinical signs of obstructive sleep apnea after the surgery. Conclusion. When it comes to the diagnosis and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, cardiac tumors should be considered.

Keywords: Sleep Apnea, Obstructive, Lipoma, Heart Neoplasms, Heart Atria, Diagnosis, Cardiac Imaging Techniques