Incidental Detection of a Non-valvular Papillary Fibroelastoma on Transthoracic Echocardiography in an Elderly Patient Undergoing Preoperative Assessment for Hip Repair

Papillary fibroelastoma (PFE) is a rare benign cardiac tumor that is often detected incidentally. This case report describes a 91-year-old Lebanese female who was admitted for a hip fracture and was found to have a nonvalvular cardiac PFE during preoperative evaluation. The patient had a history of progressive dyspnea, and transthoracic echocardiography revealed a pedunculated mass attached to the chordae of the posterior papillary muscle, causing mid-diastolic obstruction. Given the patient's clinical presentation and imaging findings, close postoperative monitoring in the cardiac care unit was advised. This case highlights the importance of echocardiographic evaluation in elderly patients with unexplained dyspnea and the need for individualized management strategies for incidentally discovered cardiac tumors.