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QJM 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Division of Cardiology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.

J Cardiovasc Echogr 2018 Oct-Dec;28(4):236-238

Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.

Papillary fibroelastoma is a rare benign cardiac tumor, second after cardiac myxoma as more frequent cardiac valvular tumor. The therapy is usually based on surgery according to size, mobility, symptoms, and risks of surgery. We report the case of a 67-year old female with transient ischemic attack. Read More

Cardiovasc J Afr 2019 Feb 6;30:1-4. Epub 2019 Feb 6.

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Florence Nightingale Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.

Sporadic ca rdiac myxomas rarely recur, however recurrence rates are higher in patients with a familial aggregation or Carney complex. Carney complex is characterised by multiple mucocutaneous lesions and accounts for up to two-thirds of familial cardiac myxomas. A second recurrence is very rare, even in the case of Carney complex. Read More

J Cardiothorac Surg 2019 Feb 4;14(1):30. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

Cardiac Surgery Department, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, 100044, China.

Background: Primary cardiac sarcomas are exceedingly rare, and they commonly result in nonspecific constitutional symptoms such as shortness of breath, weight loss, and anaemia-related fatigue and malaise. However, thrombocytopenia has very rarely been reported in association with cardiac tumours, either benign or malignant. We report one case of primary cardiac synovial sarcoma continuous with the mitral valve, which was accompanied by severe thrombocytopenia, and the platelet counts returned rapidly to a normal range early after tumour excision and without any special therapies. Read More

J Cardiovasc Imaging 2019 Jan;27(1):37-47

Division of Cardiology, Hospital of the Government of the City of Buenos Aires Dr. Cosme Argerich, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Background: Cardiac myxomas are the most frequent cardiac tumors. Although histologically benign, in some cases myxomas may be lethal, due to impairment of cardiac dynamics and their thromboembolic potential. The study aimed to assess the clinical presentation of cardiac myxomas and their correlation with echocardiographic features and to describe the perioperative results and long-term outcome of surgically treated patients. Read More

Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann 2019 Jan 22:218492319827658. Epub 2019 Jan 22.

2 Damascus University Cardiac Surgery Hospital, Damascus, Syria.

Primary cardiac tumors are rare, and myxomas represent the most common type. Myxoma in a child is very rare. Herein, we present the case of a 4-year-old boy who was diagnosed with a right atrial mass two months after open-heart surgery for removal of a supra-mitral ring and repair of an interatrial septum aneurysm. Read More

Clin Imaging 2018 Dec 10;54:112-115. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Radiology Department, USA. Electronic address:

We present a 36-year-old man who presented to our emergency department with acute onset shortness of breath and syncope. He was found to have a large left atrial mass on initial computed tomography (CT) which was confirmed by echocardiography. Tumor biopsy and attempted excision were performed, showing a primary cardiac spindle cell sarcoma that was unable to be resected, to which the patient eventually succumbed to. Read More

J Cardiothorac Surg 2018 Dec 29;13(1):133. Epub 2018 Dec 29.

Department of Cardiac Surgery, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100037, China.

Background: The totally thoracoscopic procedure for mitral valve (MV) disease is a minimally invasive method. We investigated the procedure's feasibility, safety and effectiveness when it was performed by an experienced operator.

Methods: We retrospectively analysed 53 consecutive patients with MV disease treated between December 2014 and April 2017 by minimally invasive procedures. Read More

Heart 2018 Dec 28. Epub 2018 Dec 28.

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece.

Question: What is the most likely diagnosis?Mitral stenosis.Pericardial cyst.Left atrial appendage aneurysm. Read More

J Crit Care Med (Targu Mures) 2018 Apr 1;4(2):64-67. Epub 2018 Apr 1.

Department of Internal Medicine, Mostoles University Hospital, Mostoles, Spain.

Although cardiac tumours are uncommon, cardiac myxomas account for more than fifty percent of all cases and are the most frequent primary cardiac tumour. They have a broad clinical spectrum, usually related to cardiac symptoms, peripheral embolic events or systemic manifestations. We present a case report of a 68-year-old man who presented with systemic symptoms and analytical features suggestive of an autoimmune disease. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Dec;97(51):e13451

Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.

Rationale: Left atrial myxoma is a common primary cardiac tumor, however, due to poor image quality or atypical myxoma images, it is often misdiagnosed by echocardiograph. A case of left atrial myxoma being misdiagnosed as a thrombus, which successively caused acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stroke, is very rare. Contrast-enhanced echocardiography can play an important role in definitive diagnosis. Read More

Circ Cardiovasc Imaging 2018 Nov;11(11):e008297

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University Hospital of Cologne, Germany (K.E., T.W.).

Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992) 2018 Dec;64(12):1077-1080

Clinical Emergency Unit - InCor - HCFMUSP - São Paulo, SP, Brasil.

Objective: Cardiac myxoma is a benign neoplasm, which corresponds to the most common primary heart tumour, responsible for about 50% of the cases. In general, 75-80% of myxomas are located in the left atrium, 18% in the right atrium, and more rarely in the ventricles or multicentric. Right atrial myxoma, in particular, can obstruct the tricuspid valve, causing symptoms of right heart failure, peripheral oedema, hepatic congestion, and syncope. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2018 Dec 13;11(1). Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Cardiology Division, Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester, New York, USA.

A 48-year-old man presented with acute onset of left facial numbness, ataxic gait and double vision. He also complained of chronic right lower leg pain with acute onset a year prior to presentation. His vital signs were within normal limits. Read More

Ann Thorac Surg 2019 Jan 2;107(1):e15-e17. Epub 2018 Jul 2.

Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut; Department of Surgery, Section of Cardiac Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.

Myxoma, the most common adult primary cardiac tumor, can manifest with profound symptoms. The preferred treatment of symptomatic myxoma is surgical resection, which can be curative. Preoperatively, multimodality imaging provides crucial information on the number, size, location, and proximity of myxoma or myxomas to adjacent structures, thereby facilitating an optimal operative approach. Read More

Front Oncol 2018 21;8:540. Epub 2018 Nov 21.

Department of Coronary and Structural Heart Diseases, Institute of Cardiology, Warsaw, Poland.

A 62-years-old woman was admitted to the hospital because of chronic cough, expectoration of thick mucus, hoarseness and tightness in the precordial area. Computed Tomography (CT) examination revealed the presence of a giant intrapericardial tumor with the dimensions of 80 × 38 × 32 mm. It was located anteriorly and laterally to the left atrium, posteriorly to the pulmonary trunk and the ascending aorta. Read More

J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) 2019 Feb;20(2):105-106

Department of Cardiology, Brugmann University Hospital, Brussels, Belgium.

Rom J Morphol Embryol 2018 ;59(3):903-909

Department of Internal Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Romania;

A 46-year-old female diagnosed several years ago with arterial hypertension and an ischemic stroke with significant recovery was admitted for dyspnea on usual physical activity and fatigue. Physical examination revealed signs of heart failure with crackles on both lung bases, distented jugular veins, accentuated pulmonic valve closure (P2) and tricuspid regurgitation murmur. Echocardiography identified a large tumor in the left atrium, suggestive of atrial myxoma, which caused a severe functional mitral stenosis and produced severe pulmonary hypertension. Read More

BMC Pediatr 2018 Nov 28;18(1):373. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, One Children's Place, Campus Box 8116-NWT, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.

Background: Cardiac tumors are uncommon in the pediatric population. When present, cardiac manifestations stem from the tumor causing inflow or outflow obstruction. While common in adults, cardiac myxomas presenting with generalized systemic illness or peripheral emboli especially with no cardiac or neurological symptoms are rare in children. Read More

Kardiol Pol 2018;76(11):1571

Department of Neurology, Wrocław Medical University, Borowska 213, 50-556 Wrocław, Poland.

N/A. Read More

J Nepal Health Res Counc 2018 Oct 30;16(3):257-263. Epub 2018 Oct 30.

B P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) Dharan-18, Sunsari, Nepal.

Background: Only few dedicated cardiac centres provide cardiac surgery service in Nepal. We are the only government affiliated centre outside the capital providing this service. In this study, we aim to present our early results of cardiac surgery. Read More

BMC Cardiovasc Disord 2018 Nov 7;18(1):210. Epub 2018 Nov 7.

Department of Cardiology, General Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army, 28th Fuxing Road, Beijing, 100853, China.

Background: The crista terminalis is a variation of normal anatomical structure within the right atrium which may be misdiagnosed with an abnormal atrial mass normally visualized in the standard views on the transthoracic echocardiogram.

Case Presentation: In this case presentation, we demonstrated a rare case report describing the accidental discovery of a right atrial mass-like structure in a 54-year old Asian man without physical discomfort during an echocardiographic examination. These findings naturally caused some concern as the differential diagnosis such as right atrial myxoma or thrombus and further examination were organized. Read More

Cardiol J 2018 ;25(5):652-654

Department of Cardiac Surgery, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Valladolid, Spain..

J Surg Case Rep 2018 Oct 29;2018(10):rjy288. Epub 2018 Oct 29.

Cardiovascular Centre, St Thomas' Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road, London, UK.

Cardiac tumours represent around 0.2% of tumours overall, and primary cardiac tumours are even more uncommon. We report the case of a 72-year-old female with a 7 cm × 4 cm right atrial mass which was prolapsing through the tricuspid valve. Read More

Echocardiography 2018 12 30;35(12):2106-2108. Epub 2018 Oct 30.

Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.

Left atrial (LA) masses are known to be associated with peripheral embolization. Accurate identification of etiology is crucial because treatment strategies may differ. We present the case of a young woman, who was initially diagnosed with a LA thrombus and anticoagulated. Read More

J Invasive Cardiol 2018 Nov;30(11):E130

Department of Cardiology, AZ Sint-Lucas, Ghent, Belgium.

A 73-year-old woman presented with exertional chest pain and mild dyspnea for several months. In this case, preoperative coronary angiography showed neovascularization originating from the right coronary artery (RCA) and left circumflex (LCX). Vascular supply in left atrial myxomas usually originates from the LCX and sometimes from the RCA, but vascular supply from both the right and left coronary arteries is rarely seen. Read More

Ann Card Anaesth 2018 Oct-Dec;21(4):437-439

Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.

We are presenting a case of the right atrial myxoma found in a case of rheumatic heart disease. During transthoracic echocardiography for the evaluation of a suspected rheumatic valvular heart disease, a diagnosis of severe mitral stenosis with severe mitral regurgitation with the right atrial thrombus was made. On transesophageal echocardiography, a pedunculated mass in the right atrium was confirmed. Read More

N Engl J Med 2018 Oct;379(16):e26

Crozer-Chester Medical Center, Upland, PA

Ann Thorac Surg 2018 Oct 10. Epub 2018 Oct 10.

Department of Cardio-Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Foundation "I.R.C.C.S. Policlinico San Matteo", University of Pavia, School of Medicine, Pavia, Italy.

We report the case of a woman with pulmonary embolism due to a cardiac mass. Echocardiography, CT scan and cardiac magnetic resonance raised the suspicion of right atrial myxoma and confirmed the presence of pulmonary embolism. The patient was sent to Pavia, where the atrial myxoma was excised, and using interrupted periods of circulatory arrest, extraction of the myxoma emboli from the pulmonary arteries was performed. Read More

Heart Surg Forum 2018 Sep 25;21(5):E401-E403. Epub 2018 Sep 25.

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Biruni University Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.

Background: Primary cardiac sarcoma is a rare and atypical clinical entity. We present a patient with long-term remission after primary cardiac sarcoma resection.

Case Report: A 42-year-old previously healthy female presented to the emergency department after an effort-induced 30-minute episode of chest pain and extreme shortness of breath. Read More

Heart Surg Forum 2018 Sep 13;21(5):E370-E374. Epub 2018 Sep 13.

Cardiovascular Surgery Department, Medical Faculty, Yüzüncü Yıl University, Van, Turkey.

Objective: Although seen rarely compared to all tumors, cardiac tumors are tumors which may have a mortal course with possible complications. The most common cardiac tumor in adults is myxoma with its benign character. The results of cardiac tumors resected with open cardiac surgery in our center are reported in this study. Read More

J Card Surg 2018 Nov 10;33(11):741-743. Epub 2018 Oct 10.

Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Sep;97(39):e12546

Department of Cardiology, Maoming People's Hospital, Maoming, China.

Rationale: Syncope is a complicated clinical condition involving various diseases. Syncope due to myxoma-like right atrial thrombus is rarely seen in patient without structural heart disease.

Patient Concerns: A 61-year-old ambulant old male visited our emergency department for sudden syncope. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Sep;97(39):e12543

Department of Anesthesiology, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China.

Rationale: Myxoma is the most common primary benign cardiac tumor, which could lead to some fatal complications because of its strategic position.

Patient Concerns: The patient was admitted to our hospital due to sudden onset of palpitation, chest tightness, mild fever, night sweats, accompanied with bilateral lower extremities adynamia, and paralysis for 5 days, but no obvious syncope and edema.

Diagnoses: Transthoracic echocardiography showed a giant mobile myxoma (72 × 58 mm) in the right atrium (RA). Read More

Ann Pediatr Cardiol 2018 Sep-Dec;11(3):318-321

Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.

We are reporting the case of a newborn with a diagnosis of frequent supraventricular extrasystoles, up to 25% of beats at Holter monitoring, and partial response to beta-blockers. Initial echocardiographic studies were normal until the identification of a right atrial mass at 4 months of life. Given the progressive growth of the mass and the suspicion of myxoma or thrombus in the magnetic resonance study, surgical resection of the tumor was performed. Read More

Oncol Lett 2018 Oct 25;16(4):4635-4639. Epub 2018 Jul 25.

Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan 571199, P.R. China.

Atrial myxoma is the most common type of primary cardiac tumor and it is closely associated with stroke in adults. Early diagnosis and treatment of atrial myxomas is essential for the prevention of embolic events. The aim of the present study was to assess neurological complications associated with atrial myxoma. Read More

Clin J Gastroenterol 2018 Sep 12. Epub 2018 Sep 12.

Departments of Gastroenterology, Saint Martin's Hospital, 1-4-13 Tani-machi, Sakaide City, Kagawa, 762-0033, Japan.

In all endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) examinations performed at our hospital, the heart, vasculature, and mediastinal lymph nodes from the esophagus are observed after checking for gastrointestinal pathologies. Since the introduction of EUS using a convex linear-array echoendoscope at our hospital in April 2015, EUS examinations have been performed in 371 cases for examining pancreaticobiliary diseases, submucosal tumors, and other pathologies during the 3-year period, till March 2018. We diagnosed 2 patients with asymptomatic cardiovascular disease while observing the mediastinum during EUS examination to examine identified pancreaticobiliary disease. Read More

J Heart Valve Dis 2017 11;26(6):693-699

Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, USA.

Cardiac myxomas are the most common primary tumors of the heart. Although these tumors have been reported in all cardiac chambers, myxomas arising from heart valves are extremely rare. Here, the details are described of a patient with mitral valve myxoma, and a review is provided of 99 cases reported in the literature. Read More

J Heart Valve Dis 2017 11;26(6):646-650

King Fahad Specialist Hospital-Dammam, Al Muraikabat, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

Cardioembolic stroke is an uncommon phenomenon in pediatric patients. Although the heart is the usual source of the condition, cardiac myxomas are still considered to be a rare cause in children. The case is presented of a 13-year-old, right-handed Saudi boy who showed right-sided weakness for 30 h prior to hospital admission that involved the face, arm, and leg, with slurred speech. Read More

Monaldi Arch Chest Dis 2018 09 4;88(3):906. Epub 2018 Sep 4.

King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Heart Center.

We describe a case of a left atrial myxoma atypical for its anatomical features and site of attachment. Although an initial multimodality imaging was performed, the diagnosis of myxoma was possible only by three dimensional echocardiography (3DE) which was able to identify the pedicle and the attachment at the base of the interatrial septum, close to the origin of right inferior pulmonary vein. In fact the 3DE can electronically section the structures and obtain unique planes useful in visualizing correctly the anatomical features of the myxomas and as a result, it facilitates the surgical decision planning. Read More

Intern Med J 2018 09;48(9):1162-1163

Wollongong Hospital, Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD), Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.

J Thorac Dis 2018 Jul;10(7):E581-E583

Division of Cardiac Surgery, Kingston General Hospital, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.

CASE (Phila) 2018 Aug 1;2(4):120-122. Epub 2018 May 1.

Cardiology Department, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

Case Rep Cardiol 2018 19;2018:3927948. Epub 2018 Jul 19.

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Beaumont Health System, Royal Oak, MI, USA.

Myxomas are the most common benign cardiac neoplasms in adults. The vast majority of cardiac myxomas arise from the left atrium near the fossa ovalis of the intra-atrial septum. There have been reports of myxomas arising from the ventricles accounting for about 5% of cases. Read More

Cureus 2018 Jun 8;10(6):e2764. Epub 2018 Jun 8.

Vascular Surgery, Michigan Vascular Center.

Cardiac myxomas are rare with reported incidences of less than 0.03%. Cardiac myxomas are most commonly observed in the left atrium. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2018 Aug 4;2018. Epub 2018 Aug 4.

Department of Radiology, Gotong Royong Hospital, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia.

A 16-year-old boy presented to the emergency department with a sudden weakness on the right side of the body and was diagnosed as having embolic stroke. Later on, the patient was diagnosed as having Carney complex (CNC). The neurological complication might be caused by left atrial myxoma as a feature of CNC. Read More

Maedica (Buchar) 2018 Jun;13(2):147-151

Cardiology Department, University and Emergency Hospital, Bucharest, Romania.

Carney complex (CNC) is a rare autosomal dominant syndrome. Spotty skin pigmentation is the major clinical manifestation of CNC, followed by cardiac myxomas, benign tumors that usually present with features from the classical triad of obstructive cardiac, embolic and non-specific constitutional symptoms (NCS). NCS are caused by the overproduction of interleukin-6 (IL-6), a pro-inflammatory cytokine which mediates the induction of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and promotes endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis. Read More

CASE (Phila) 2017 Oct 9;1(5):179-181. Epub 2017 Sep 9.

Division of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Jul;97(30):e11653

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China.

Rationale: Cerebral stroke with peripheral embolism due to left atrial myxoma is very rare in children. Misdiagnosis may occur because of nonspecific symptoms in the heart.

Patient Concerns: We present a case of a 16-year-old boy who presented with ischemic stroke and embolisms in the lower extremity, caused by a giant left atrial myxoma. Read More

Ann Vasc Surg 2018 Nov 17;53:266.e13-266.e20. Epub 2018 Aug 17.

Division of Vascular Surgery, CHU de Quebec City, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.

Myxomas are the most common primary cardiac neoplasms. Multimodality imaging is essential for proper diagnosis and treatment. The cardiovascular manifestations depend on myxomas location and size. Read More