Atrial myxoma presenting as stroke.
Atrial myxoma is rare. We report the case of a 54-year-old woman who presented with findings of a typical acute cerebrovascular accident, which was found to be caused by emboli from an unsuspected atrial myxoma. Unrelated aortic regurgitation also was present. Diagnosis was made by echocardiography. Surgery was performed to remove the tumor; however, the patient remained with a left hemiparesis. The pitfalls of misdiagnosis are discussed and the need for early use of echocardiography in the work-up of stroke victims is suggested.
D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D002542:Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009232:Myxoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating