Left atrial myxoma: a case presentation and review of the literature

Cardiac myxomas account for 24% of all primary cardiac tumors. The majority occur in the left atrium and are attached via a pedunculated stalk. The presentation may mimic primary myocardial dysfunction or obstructive valvular disease. Frequently, the diagnosis is delayed secondary to only vague constitutional symptoms. In this article, we present a case of a left atrial myxoma discovered after thoracic surgery in a patient with elevated pulmonary pressures thought to be secondary to mitral stenosis, and demonstrate how transesophageal echocardiography is useful in the evaluation of critically ill patients with cardiac tumors.