Single-institutional 22 years experience on cardiac myxomas

Abstract

Myxomas are the most common benign tumors of the heart. This study presents single-institutional 22 years experience on cardiac myxomas. The records of 9756 consecutive cases of open heart surgery between 1985 and 2007 revealed 0.23% myxoma. Age ranged between 12 and 77 years and male to female ratio was 7:17. Myxomas originated from the left atrium (15 patients), mitral valve (3 patients), right atrium (2 patients), right atrium and right ventricle (2 patients), right ventricle (1 patient), and left ventricle (1 patient). Three patients were operated for multiple myxomas. Myxomas were resected through right atriotomy, right atriotomy and pulmonary arteriotomy, left atriotomy, biatrial approach, or left ventriculotomy depending on the tumor location. Mean follow-up time was 11.5 years. Mortality occurred in 6 patients (1 early, 5 late deaths). No myxoma recurrence was detected. Myxomas should be resected leaving no remnant mass, without delay when they are diagnosed.