Echocardiographically evaluated site of attachment of atrial myxoma may predict recurrence

We explore the association between the site of attachment of nonfamilial left atrial myxoma and it's recurrence. Forty-three (11 male and 32 female; mean age, 55.9±13.6 years) of 49 consecutive patients with nonfamilial left atrial myxoma who had been evaluated with preoperative echocardiography, X were available for postoperative follow-up with transthoracic echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography, or both, for an average period of 85.2±54.2 months (range, 6.5 to 215.5 months). We compared preoperative clinical and echocardiographic features of recurrent and nonrecurrent myxomas. Three (7%) of the 43 cases of atrial myxoma recurred at the same site after 24.1±7.6 months. Involvement of the mitral valve annulus or mitral valve leaflet (3 vs 0,p<0.001) was observed in the recurrent myxomas, but the two groups did not differ significantly in any other clinical features, laboratory data, or echocardiographic features of the recurrent and nonrecurrent myxoma. Preoperative echocardiographic observation of involvement of the mitral valve annulus or mitral valve leaflet may predict recurrence after surgery. Regular follow-up echocardiography was useful in the early detection of recurrence.