Metastatic melanoma to the intracavitary left ventricle treated using cardiac autotransplantation technique for resection.

ABSTRACT

Melanoma has a known propensity for cardiac metastasis. Most cases are associated with widespread metastatic disease and multiple sites of cardiac involvement and are not appropriate for surgical resection. When there is an isolated metastasis to the heart, the melanoma tends to involve the right heart. Rarely does melanoma metastasize only to the left ventricle. We present an unusual case of isolated metastasis of melanoma to the intracavitary left ventricle. This tumor was poorly responsive to chemotherapy, and a cardiac autotransplantation technique was used to achieve complete resection with pathologically negative margins.