Abstract
Introduction. Dyspnea during pregnancy and in the immediate postpartum or postoperative period is a relatively common symptom that can be an early sign of a life threatening condition. The differential diagnosis is broad and can represent a wide variety of underlying etiologies. Cardiac tumors are one of the rarest causes of dyspnea in a reproductive age women during the postpartum period. Case Presentation. 42-years old G7P1051 presented with acute dyspnea postoperatively after an elected uncomplicated repeat cesarean section and tubal ligation. The patient was diagnosed with a large left atrial cardiac myxoma and required urgent cardiothoracic surgery. Conclusion. The following case illustrates how a standard response to a common postpartum symptom, dyspnea, can divert and distract from less common exam findings. A careful, stepwise evaluation of symptoms and related findings will usually determine the underlying cause so that appropriate and timely treatment can be initiated.
Highlights
Dyspnea during pregnancy and in the immediate postpartum or postoperative period is a relatively common symptom that can be an early sign of a life threatening condition
Acute dyspnea after delivery is a common symptom that can signify a wide variety of underlying etiologies
Dyspnea during pregnancy and in the immediate postpartum or postoperative period is a relatively common symptom that can be an early sign of a life-threatening condition
Summary
Acute dyspnea after delivery is a common symptom that can signify a wide variety of underlying etiologies. Cardiac and pulmonary causes, such as thromboembolism, pulmonary edema, or cardiomyopathy, are perhaps the more common life-threatening conditions. Uncommon causes must be considered in the differential of patients with dyspnea following delivery. Left atrial myxoma is the most common cardiac tumor representing 70% of all benign heart neoplasms [1, 2]. Diagnosing any cardiac tumor in a symptomatic postpartum patient can be challenging because of their infrequent occurrence, unpredictable clinical presentation, and symptoms that mimic the more common postpartum morbidities. The following case illustrates how a standard response to a common postpartum symptom, dyspnea, may divert and distract from less common exam findings such as a diastolic murmur and a soft tissue mass on CT scan
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