Surgical removal of a left ventricular myxoma in an infant

Clinical manifestation and surgical treatment analysis of five cases with biatrial myxoma

BACKGROUND

Cardiac myxomas (CMs) are a major primary heart tumor which often causes unexpected symptoms or sudden death. Among CMs, biatrial myxomas are even rare. This study was designed to investigate the clinical characteristics and surgical treatment of 5 cases with biatrial myxoma, to summarize the treatment experience and the effect of short-to-mid-term prognosis.

METHODS

Five patients with biatrial myxoma were included in this study. The patients' relative literature, chest X-ray, body-surface electrocardiogram, and ultrasonic cardiogram (UCG) were used to investigate the clinical characteristics. The experience of surgical treatment and perioperative treatment were analyzed.

RESULTS

Among the 5 cases, patients had presented discomfort of precordial area and cardiac insufficiency symptoms such as dyspnea and chest discomfort. There were characteristic changes on echocardiography (ECG). All patients accepted resection of both tumor and its basement tissue. Their symptoms were all improved after surgery, no deaths occurred.

CONCLUSION

In conjunction with clinical features, diagnostic clue and echocardiography, the detectable rate of biatrial myxoma could be significantly improved. Early diagnosis showed good effect on prognosis.

Multimodality imaging of a subtotally obstructive right ventricular myxoma in an asymptomatic 10-year-old girl

A 10-year-old girl presented with a supraventricular tachycardia. A heart murmur was detected during a clinical examination; therefore, echocardiography was performed. This revealed a giant right ventricular myxoma that subtotally obstructed the right ventricular outflow tract. A myxoma in the right ventricle is uncommon in children. This rare intracardiac tumor was examined using multimodality imaging, and the patient underwent surgical resection. The pathologic features confirmed our suspicion and revealed an encapsulated tumor with myxomatoid stroma containing focal hemorrhages.