Embolic atrial myxoma causing aortic and carotid occlusion

Abstract

Background: Cardiac myxomas are a rare but well-described cause of stroke that usually occur in young people. Cardiac myxoma can embolize to multiple sites throughout the body.

Case description: A 45-year-old woman presented acutely with altered mental status and signs of lower extremity vascular occlusion. Pathologic studies confirmed the diagnosis of cardiac myxoma.

Conclusions: This is the first case reported in the English literature of simultaneous aortic and internal carotid artery occlusion from embolism of an atrial myxoma without evidence of intracardiac tumor on transesophageal echocardiogram.