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[Atrial myxoma. Apropos a clinical case]
I Machado1, A Lourenço, F Reis
1Serviço de Cardiologia, Hospital Distrital de Guimarães.
Summary
A 61-year-old woman with hypertension and palpitations was diagnosed with left auricular myxoma using echocardiography. This case highlights echocardiography's crucial role in diagnosing and monitoring cardiac myxomas.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Oncology
- Pathology
Background:
- Cardiac myxomas are rare primary tumors of the heart, often asymptomatic but can cause significant clinical manifestations.
- Left auricular myxomas are the most common type, potentially leading to embolic events or obstructive symptoms.
Observation:
- A 61-year-old female patient presented with hypertension and palpitations, indicative of potential cardiac pathology.
- Echocardiography revealed a mass consistent with a left auricular myxoma, prompting further investigation.
Findings:
- Histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of left auricular myxoma post-echocardiographic identification.
- The study emphasizes the diagnostic accuracy of echocardiography for cardiac myxomas.
Implications:
- Echocardiography is a vital non-invasive tool for the early detection and characterization of cardiac myxomas.
- Timely diagnosis and surgical management of auricular myxomas are essential to prevent complications such as stroke or heart failure.