[A case of infected left atrial myxoma]

A rare case with infected left atrial myxoma is described. A 52 year-old male was admitted to our hospital because of pain and redness in the left forearm. He has had a history of fever and treatment with antibiotic after pulling out his tooth for two months. At admission, the temperature was 37.4 degrees C. A systolic ejection murmur was heard at the apex on auscultation. Initial investigation of blood showed infective signs. Ultrasonics and angiography revealed a embolus in the left brachial artery at the bifurcation of the radial artery and the ulnar artery. Echocardiography showed the typical feature of a large left atrial myxoma with vegetation. Embolectomy was performed. At the next day, the left atrial myxoma was removed and mitral valve with vegetation was replaced with a prosthetic valve. On microscopic examination, colonies of gram-positive cocci were seen in the thrombus on the typical myxoma. After treatment with antibiotics for six weeks, the patient was discharged from the hospital. He remains asymptomatic for ten months after the operation. Only 12 cases of infected left atrial myxomas have been reported previously in the world.