Atrial myxoma: a review of clinical experience at Srinagarind Hospital

Thirty-two intracardiac myxoma patients who underwent tumor excision in Srinagarind Hospital between January 1, 1983 and January 30, 1997 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical presentations, diagnostic method, operative findings, and postoperative course were also analysed. There were 20 female and 12 male patients, age range 10 to 60 years (mean 37.9). Clinical presentations included congestive heart failure (56.2%), atypical chest pain (25.0%), syncope (18.9), and constitutional symptoms (9.3%). In six patients, there was clinical evidence of systemic embolism. One patient was essentially asymptomatic and incidentally detected during clinical check-up. Diagnosis was all made by two dimensional (2-D) echocardiographic study. There were 29 left atrial, 2 right atrial and 1 combined right atrial and right ventricular myxomas. There were 3 postoperative deaths, two due to septicemia and the other due to cerebral embolism. One patient developed postoperative severe mitral regurgitation and complete heart block needed mitral valve replacement and permanent pacemaker insertion. One patient developed localized seizure 6 years after resection and was suspected of brain metastasis. The other was found to have two high echogenic liver masses, 2 years after resection, suggestive of hepatic metastasis. Unfortunately, we could not obtain the histologic confirmation from any of those suspected lesions. Because of the non-specific and various manifestations of atrial myxoma, a high index of suspicion is needed. The diagnostic method of choice is 2D-echocardiography. Clinical follow-up for at least 10 years may be needed to rule out recurrence or metastasis.