Cardiac myxomas: 11 Years of experience in 33 patients

Abstract

Aim. Cardiac myxoma is the most common benign cardiac tumors. The aim of this study is to review our heart center's 11-year experience with intracardiac myxoma. Methods. Between March 1997 and March 2009, 33 patients (16 men and 17 women) between the ages of 11 to 81 years (mean age, 47 years) were operated on for cardiac myxoma. The tumor was located in the left atrium in 28 patients (84.8%), in the right atrium in 2 patients (6.1%), in the right ventricle in 2 patients (6.1%), and left ventricle in 1 patient (3%). The average time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis was 6 months. The most frequently observed symptoms were associated with mitral valva obstruction. Three patients underwent concomitant coronary artery bypass and four patient underwent mitral valve replacement or repair. Results. There was 1 early death (3%) due to postoperative cerebral embolization. The mean follow-up was 56.4آ±38.8 months. There was not late death. No recurrence of cardiac myxoma was observed during the follow-up and 27 patients (90%) are in NYHA functional class I and 3 patients (10%) are in NYHA class II. The follow-up was complete in 93.9% of the patients. The actuarial survival was 90.9%. Conclusion. At present, the diagnosis of cardiac myxoma is easy to make and two-dimensional echocardiography play a major role in this field, so a high index of clinical suspicion is important for its early diagnosis and surgical excision of intracardiac myxoma is curative with low mortality and good long-term outcome.