Key result
Diagnostic thoracotomy and epicardial pacing manage third-degree AV block due to cardiac B-cell lymphoma infiltration.
Case Report (n=1)
Malignant Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma infiltrating the atria can present as third-degree AV block requiring epicardial pacing.
Lymphoma infiltration warrants consideration in unexplained AV block; this case leaves optimal diagnostic and pacing strategies open.
A 59-year old female patient presented with progressive dyspnoea, intermittent fever and third-degree atrio-ventricular-block. On echocardiography she had nodular deposits on the lateral wall of the left and in the entire right atrium. A computed tomography scan demonstrated extensive retrocardial tumour masses infiltrating both atria and the interatrial septum. The patient underwent a diagnostic lateral thoracotomy with concomitant epicardial pacemaker insertion. Histological examination revealed a centroblastic B-cell-lymphoma. The management of this patient is discussed and the literature reviewed.
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Aleksić et al. (1999) conducted a case report in Third-degree atrio-ventricular-block caused by malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (n=1). Diagnostic lateral thoracotomy with concomitant epicardial pacemaker insertion was evaluated. A 59-year-old female with third-degree AV block due to cardiac infiltration by a centroblastic B-cell-lymphoma was managed with diagnostic thoracotomy and epicardial pacemaker insertion.
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