[A case of left ventricular myxoma]

Left ventricular myxoma is very rare, and only 37 cases have been reported at present time. We here report a case of surgical extirpation of a left ventricular myxoma arising from the septal wall of the left ventricule. A 74-year-old woman was examined by transesophageal echocardiography because of palpitation. It revealed a small mass in the left ventricular cavity. This mass was then diagnosed and confirmed as a myxoma by echocardiogram, CT and MRI. MRI imaging showed the intensity of the myxoma to be higher than that of the myocardium. The myxoma was removed by transaortic approach using extracorponeal circulation. The grayly gelatinous mass was 11 x 12 x 12 mm and weighed 0.6 g. It was diagnosed as a myxoma pathohistologically. The patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged four weeks after the operation.