Cardiac myxomas: A narrative review

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Oncology
• Pathology

Background:

• Cardiac myxomas are primary heart tumors, often benign but functionally malignant due to embolization risk.
• They commonly arise in the left atrium but can occur in any chamber, presenting sporadically or as part of Carney complex.
• Morphological variations (polypoid, papillary) influence clinical presentation, with papillary forms more prone to embolization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of cardiac myxomas.
• To highlight the diagnostic utility of echocardiography and other imaging modalities.
• To emphasize the importance of timely surgical intervention for favorable outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on cardiac myxomas.
• Analysis of clinical presentations, diagnostic findings, and treatment outcomes.
• Discussion of histopathological and genetic aspects.

Main Results:

• Cardiac myxomas present with intracardiac obstruction, embolic events, and constitutional symptoms.
• Echocardiography is the primary diagnostic tool, revealing characteristic mobile masses.
• Surgical excision offers low operative mortality, high survival rates, and low recurrence.

Conclusions:

• Cardiac myxomas require prompt diagnosis and surgical management to prevent life-threatening complications.
• Minimal-access surgery is the current trend, improving patient outcomes.
• Understanding the diverse presentations and diagnostic features is key for effective physician preparedness.