[Recurring pulmonary artery embolisms and disseminated intravascular coagulation in right atrial myxoma]

A 33 year old woman presented with dyspnea and dizziness. These symptoms had recurred several times during the months preceding. At initial investigation we palpated a tumor in the upper abdomen corresponding to the sonographic finding of a 10 X 10 cm sized cystic tumor in the liver. Because of reduction of fibrinogen, prolonged thrombin time and thrombocytopenia a malignant disease involving the liver and producing pulmonary embolism and disseminated intravascular coagulation was suspected. However, during routine echocardiography a right atrial mass prolapsing in the right ventricle was detected. After normalization of fibrinogen and thrombin-time following a low dose heparin therapy a myxoma sized 6 X 5 cm was removed from the right atrium. The patient did not recover and died 20 days following surgery. At autopsy the liver tumor proved to be a benign cholangioendothelial cyst.