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Giant Right Atrial Myxoma with Fulminant Progression in an Infant
Ebru Azapagasi1, Mutlu Uysal Yazici1, Mehmet Emre Ari2
1Division of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Dr. Sami Ulus Maternity and Children's Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Insights
A rare giant right atrial myxoma in a 2-month-old infant caused respiratory distress and cardiac arrest. This case highlights diagnostic challenges of cardiac tumors in infants.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Cardiovascular Pathology
- Pediatric Oncology
Background:
- Cardiac myxomas are rare tumors, particularly in infants.
- Right atrial myxomas are exceptionally uncommon in neonates and infants.
Observation:
- A 2-month-old infant presented with respiratory distress and effusions.
- A giant right atrial myxoma (3.1 × 3.4 × 3.9 cm) was diagnosed via CT and echocardiogram.
- The infant experienced rapid deterioration and sudden cardiac arrest.
Findings:
- Postmortem examination confirmed a large cardiac myxoma in the right atrium.
- Histological analysis verified the myxoma diagnosis.
- The tumor's size and location presented significant diagnostic challenges.
Implications:
- This case underscores the importance of considering cardiac tumors in infants with respiratory distress and effusions.
- Atypical presentations of cardiac myxoma in infancy require heightened clinical suspicion.
- Early diagnosis and management are crucial for improving outcomes in pediatric cardiac tumors.
Abstract:
Cardiac myxoma is rare in children. Myxomas are exceedingly rare in infancy. Right atrial myxomas were recorded in a small number of case reports involving infants worldwide. We report the case of a 2-month-old infant with giant right atrial myxoma. The case presented to our hospital with respiratory distress, and had pericardial and pleural effusion. Diagnosis of cardiac tumor was made with the aid of computerized tomography scan and echocardiogram. The tumor size was 3.1 × 3.4 × 3.9 cm. The patient worsened rapidly and had sudden cardiac arrest which did not respond to interventions. Postmortem cardiac autopsy confirmed the diagnosis of myxoma on gross examination and histology. This article aims to focus attention to the atypical size and location of this atrial myxoma, causing diagnostic difficulty in this infant.
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