Cor Vasa 2004, 45(8):398-399
Recurrent left ventricular myxoma
- Klinika kardiologie, Institut klinické a experimentální medicíny, Praha, Česká republika
Cardiac myxoma is the most frequent benign cardiac tumor, as shown by histology. However, cardiac myxoma is "malignant" to its carrier because of its potential hemodynamic impact and, most importantly, because of the risk for embolism whose consequences may be permanently disabling, or even deadly. The incidence of myxoma is relatively rare, especially so in the presence of a left ventricular myxoma, as is the recurrence of this disease.
A total of 63 patients with cardiac myxoma, with only one patient with left ventricular myxoma, were examined in our department over the 1971-1997 period. Recurrence of the tumor was observed in three cases in our series. This case report documents the second case of a patient with left ventricular myxoma and lower limb arterial embolism. Successful diagnosis and surgical excision of the tumor were followed by early tumor recurrence at the same location. Re-do surgery was undertaken within 4 months of the first procedure. Histology did not confirm tumor malignancy in a single case. On follow--up, the patient does not exhibit any cardiac symptoms and echocardiography did not reveal any signs of recurrence either.
Keywords: Primary cardiac tumor; Myxoma; Left ventricle
Published: August 1, 2004 Show citation