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A left atrial myxoma complicated with acute myocardial infarction
Insights
A patient experienced myocardial infarction due to a left atrial tumor. Surgical removal of the cardiac myxoma resolved the coronary artery occlusion, highlighting a rare cause of heart attack.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cardiac Surgery
- Pathology
Background:
- Acute myocardial infarction (MI) necessitates prompt diagnosis and intervention.
- Left atrial tumors are rare and can present with diverse clinical manifestations.
- Coronary artery occlusion is a primary cause of MI, typically due to atherosclerosis.
Observation:
- A 43-year-old female presented with acute infero-posterior MI and 100% left circumflex artery occlusion.
- Echocardiography revealed inferior hypokinesis and a large left intraatrial tumor.
- Coronary angiography demonstrated complete resolution of the culprit lesion after 17 days.
Findings:
- Surgical removal of the left atrial tumor was performed on the 21st hospital day.
- Pathological examination confirmed the tumor as cardiac myxoma.
- The resolution of coronary occlusion correlated with the tumor's presence and subsequent removal.
Implications:
- Cardiac myxoma can present as a cause of myocardial infarction through coronary artery embolism or obstruction.
- This case underscores the importance of considering rare etiologies in MI diagnosis.
- Multidisciplinary management involving cardiology, cardiac surgery, and pathology is crucial for such complex cases.
Abstract:
A 43-year-old female, admitted because of acute infero-posterior myocardial infarction, showed angiographic findings of 100% occlusion of left circumflex artery. Echocardiographic findings showed inferior hypokinesis, while a large left intraatrial tumor was also observed. The coronary angiography on the 17th hospital day showed complete reperfusion of the culprit lesion without stenosis. On the 21st hospital day, the removal operation of the tumor was performed. Pathological findings showed typical cardiac myxoma, and the etiology of the occlusion at the culprit vessel was presumed to be closely related to the existence of the left atrial tumor.