[Papillary fibroelastoma: a rare cause of brain embolism].

A 39-year-old woman presented with weakness in the right arm and leg, and a 64-year-old woman was referred after a transient ischaemic attack. Neurological examination raised the suspicion of cerebral ischaemia due to an embolism. In both patients transthoracic echocardiography was performed to rule out the heart as a source of emboli. One patient had a stalked tumour of the mitral valve and the other had a spherical tumour of the aortic valve which was clearly seen on ultrasound examination, both tumours presumably a papillary fibroelastoma. The tumours were removed surgically while sparing the heart valves. Pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of papillary fibroelastoma in both patients. Papillary fibroelastoma is a rare benign primary cardiac tumour that is usually noticed when it has caused cerebrovascular ischaemia. Surgical excision of the tumour is the treatment of choice.