[Right ventricular myxoma--case report and review of the literature]

Primary tumors of the heart are rare, with the most common being myxoma, although myxoma of ventricular origin are uncommon. A careful review of the literature showed that 72 patients worldwide had cardiac myxomas located in the right ventricle. A 13-year-old asymptomatic girl with no previous history of cardiac disease was referred to a local hospital for evaluation of a heart murmur detected during a routine medical examination. Right ventricular myxoma was diagnosed and confirmed by echocardiogram, angiocardiography, CT, and MRI, MRI was firstly performed of right ventricular myxoma, and that showed right ventricular myxoma and the myocardium at the same intensity. Surgery was performed by first opening the right atrium. A lobulated mass was visualized through the tricuspid valve. Using a long needle, we confirmed that the wall was attached to the pedicle of the myxoma. Right ventriculotomy was subsequently performed in this region. The mass was passed through the tricuspid valve, and was reseated along with surrounding myocardium but with minimal excision of the right ventricular wall. The excised myxoma weighed 11 g, and had developed a short and small pedicle (5 mm x 5 mm) on the free wall and septum of the right ventricle. The patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged two weeks after the operation.