Surgical treatment of cardiac myxomas: a 20-year follow-up

Clinical experience in the diagnosis and management of 50 cases of cardiac myxoma seen over a 20-year period from 1974 to 1994 has been reviewed. There were 17 men and 33 women of mean age 55.2 (range 16-81) years. Echocardiography confirmed the diagnosis in all patients. The location of myxomas was as follows: left atrial alone in 42 patients, right atrial alone in three, right ventricular alone in one, left atrial+right atrial in two, left atrial+right atrial+right ventricular in one, and left atrial+left ventricular in one. Nineteen patients were operated on within 48 hours of the diagnosis. All tumours were successfully removed with the aid of cardiopulmonary bypass. The hospital mortality rate was 10%. Excision of the tumour resulted in marked symptomatic improvement. There was one late death. The current survivors are symptom-free at a mean follow-up of 76.4 (range 1-241) months. Echocardiographic studies were performed in all survivors and no recurrences have been observed. It is concluded that excision of cardiac myxomas is curative and long-term survival is excellent. Radical tumour excision may prevent recurrences.