Cardiac Myxoma: Fourteen-Year Experience of a Tertiary Reference Center

Abstract

Introduction: Myxoma is the most common primary cardiac tumor, which is frequently diagnosed between the ages of 30-60 years. Myxomas are encountered more frequently in women. They are mostly located in the left atrium. In this retrospective study, we observed demographic, clinical, pathological, and echocardiographic findings of myxomas. In addition to short and long term follow-up result of patients having myxoma, we researched the risk factors of patients who presented with embolism as a complication of myxoma. Also we researched the risk factors of the patients who represented with embolism. Patients and Methods: In this retrospective study, we searched the database of our hospital using the keyword "myxoma" between March 2001 and January 2015. Sixty-six patients, whose cardiac tumors were resected and confirmed as myxoma after pathologic evaluation, were included in this study. Results: The mean age of our surgically treated patients was 55 ± 12.3 years. Forty (% 60.6) of them were female, and the most common presented symptom was dyspnea. An embolic event was noted in %19.7 of patients. Myxomas were mostly located in the left atrium. A total of 4 (%6) patients showed tumor recurrence, and only one patient died during the follow-up. As the patients were compared regarding embolic phenomenon, male gender, location at the roof of the left atrium, and irregular surface characteristics were more frequently associated with embolism. Conclusion: Contrary to previous studies, in our study, thromboembolic events as an important complication of myxomas was associated with male gender and location at the roof of the left atrium. However, in accordance with other studies, type 1 myxomas were significantly more prevalent in our patients with the diagnosis of embolism.