[Surgical treatment of cardiac myxomas]

Between April 1975 to March 1991, 17 patients (5 man and 12 women, mean age 49.8 years old) underwent surgical treatment for cardiac myxomas. Fifteen patients had left atrial myxomas, and the other 2 had the ventricular myxomas (left ventricular myxoma 1 and right ventricular myxoma 1). In cases with left atrial myxomas, the tumor was resected through the transatrial approach alone in 12 patients, and the left atriotomy was added in other 3. Left ventriculotomy was required to resect the left ventricular myxoma in addition to the atrial approach. Right ventricular myxoma, which attached the outflow tract, could be removed through the small right vertical ventriculotomy. All patients recovered well, and there was no recurrence in any patient during the follow-up period.