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An unusual cause of multiple embolic strokes: cardiac myxoma, about a case
Hicham Wazaren1, Hanae Bouhdadi1, Badre El Boussaadani2
1Department of Cardiovascular Surgery A of Ibn Sina University Hospital Center, Mohammed V University of Rabat, Rabat City, Morocco.
Insights
Cardiac myxomas, the most common heart tumors, can cause serious complications like stroke. This case highlights the urgent need for diagnosis and management of left atrial myxoma to prevent dangerous embolisms.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Oncology
Background:
- Cardiac myxomas are the most frequent primary tumors within the heart, comprising 50% of all cardiac neoplasms.
- They occur at an estimated rate of 0.5 per million individuals annually.
Observation:
- Symptoms often manifest as cerebral or peripheral embolism and/or intracardiac obstruction.
- This case involves an 82-year-old woman presenting with multiple ischemic strokes.
Findings:
- The patient's multiple ischemic strokes were revealed to be caused by a left atrial myxoma.
- Urgent management is critical due to the significant risk of embolic events.
Implications:
- This case underscores the importance of considering cardiac myxoma in the differential diagnosis of stroke, particularly in older adults.
- Raising awareness of cardiac myxoma is crucial for timely diagnosis and intervention to prevent potentially fatal embolic complications.
Abstract:
Cardiac myxomas are the most common primary intracardiac tumors, accounting for 50% of all cardiac neoplasms, with an estimated frequency of 0.5/million/inhabitants/year. Presenting symptoms are related to cerebral or peripheral embolism, and/or intracardiac obstruction. Thus, urgent management of myxoma is mandatory due to embolism's risk. Herein, we report the case of an 82-year-old woman with a myxoma of the left atrium, revealed by a multiple ischemic strokes, to raise awareness of this entity.
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