[Cardiac myxomas (a series of 23 cases)]

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to report clinical particularities, treatment concepts, potential evolution related to cardiac myxoma to the light of our initial experience and reviewed of the literature.

Methods and results: Between May 1980 and January 2005: 23 patients were operated in our service for cardiac myxoma. There were 21 left-atrium myxomas and two in right atrium. The mean age was 42.73 years (range 21 to 60 years). The sex-ratio was 2.28 (16 women and seven men). In four cases, the myxomas were chance findings at echocardiography but the 19 symptomatic patients had different symptoms: dyspnea, palpitations, left ventricular failure, positional syncope, systemic embolism, chest pain or right ventricular failure. The diagnostic of myxoma was realized in all cases by echocardiography. The resection of the tumor and a wide part of the inter-atrial septum were performed in all case. The post-operative course was usually uncomplicated: only one patient had double recurrence and died of mediastinitis after the third operation.

Conclusion: The myxoma is considered to be rare, and remains classical emergency with low operative risk, however the risk of recurrence imposes a long-term follow-up by echocardiography.