[Myxoma of the heart--clinical features, course and long term follow-up]

This study deals with clinical features, course and results of an eleven year follow-up of 22 patients with myxoma of the heart, 16 females and 6 males, mean age 48 years. Left atrial myxoma was found in 18 patients (82%) and right atrial myxoma in 4. The most frequent clinical features were fatigue in 64%, shortness of breath in 82%, systemic pulmonary embolism in 50% and prolonged fever in 27% of patients. On auscultation of the heart diastolic murmur was found in the mitral area in 36% and in tricuspid area in 14% of patients. The most helpful diagnostic noninvasive procedure was echocardiography which showed myxoma of the heart in all 22 patients. Left and right heart catheterisation studies were performed in 11 patients; in all patients with left atrial myxoma various degrees of pulmonary hypertension were found. Twenty one patients underwent open heart surgery; in twenty removal of myxoma was performed and in one concomitant mitral valve replacement was done. The mean follow-up of this group of patients was 6.2 years. All patients were asymptomatic and without clinical or echocardiographic signs of reccurrence.