Right atrial myxoma with pulmonary embolism

Abstract

Right atrial myxomas are rare tumors that often go undiagnosed. Pulmonary embolism originating from the tumor mass is a potentially fatal complication. We report the case of a young man in whom a right atrial myxoma with recurrent episodes of pulmonary embolism was diagnosed 1 month after the beginning of symptoms by two-dimensional transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. Early diagnosis of cardiac myxomas is important since surgical treatment is usually resolutive with low recurrence rates and good long-term survival.