Cardiac myxoma: clinical experiences with twenty-five patients in Korea

Abstract

Cardiac myxomas are histologically benign but and pulmonary edema in seventeen (68%) patients. may be lethal because of their strategic position. It Sixteen (64%) patients had abnormal electrocarmay mimic every cardiovascular or systemic disease, diographic findings that included sinus tachycardia, and can be missed without a high index of suspicion nonspecific ST-T wave change, left atrial enlarge[1]. Rapid advances have been made in cardiovascument, right bundle branch block, atrial fibrillation. In lar imaging, particularly in echocardiography, which laboratory findings, anemia was observed in eighteen is the most important modality in the preoperative (72%) patients, and leukocytosis was noted in six diagnosis of cardiac myxomas. We reviewed twenty(24%) patients. An erythrocyte sedimentation rate five patients with cardiac myxoma who underwent was found to be elevated in twelve of fifteen(80%) excision of the tumor at Catholic University Medical patients. In all of the patients, preoperative diagnosis Center between 1984 and 1999. The patients’ medical was confirmed by echocardiography, and surgical records were reviewed retrospectively, and special excision of the myxoma was performed as soon as attention was given to clinical presentation, physical possible without further diagnosis. The tumor size examination, chest X-ray, electrocardiogram, laborawas from 131.732.7 to 3.536.538 cm and from 18 tory findings, echocardiographic findings, operative to 200 g in weight. The stalk of tumors was found in findings, and postoperative course. The study group 18 (72%) patients, and hemorrhage and calcification consisted of six male (24%) and nineteen female of tumors in twenty (80%) and nine (36%) patients, (76%) patients. The patients’ ages ranged from 23 to respectively. Most myxomas in the left atrium were 64 years (mean 48) at the time of diagnosis. There located at the border of the oval fossa [sixteen (64%) were twenty-three (92%) left atrial and two (8%) patients] and the others at the base of interatrial right atrial myxomas. The most common symptoms septum, posterior atrial wall, and anterior atrial wall were associated with mitral obstruction in nineteen in descending order of frequency. There was no (76%) patients such as dyspnea on exertion, palpitaperioperative mortality. Early postoperative complition, and recurrent syncope. Embolic episodes cations controlled with medical treatment occurred in occurred in five (20%) patients. Twenty (80%) five patients: wound infection in two; Torsades de patients had abnormal findings at their cardiac aupointes in one; atrial fibrillation in one and acute scultation, systolic murmur in twelve, diastolic murrenal failure in one patient. Most patients were mur in eight, and tumor plop in four patients. Chest discharged within 2 weeks of the operation. In X-ray showed cardiomegaly, left atrial enlargement, sixteen (64%) patients who could be reevaluated, follow-up ranged from 4 months to 15 years. One *Corresponding author. Cardiology Department, St. Mary’s Hospital, patient who underwent tricuspid annuloplasty for No. 62 Yoido-dong, Youngdungpo-Ku 150-713, Seoul, South Korea. Tel.: severe tricuspid valve regurgitation died of intractable 182-2-3779-1325; fax: 182-2-3779-1374. E-mail address: younhj@cmc.cuk.ac.kr (H.-J. Youn). right heart failure and pulmonary hypertension 5