title: Left atrial myxoma presenting with acute pulmonary oedema in an elderly woman.
abstract: A previously healthy 76-year-old woman presented with an acute onset of shortness of breath due to acute pulmonary oedema. A transthoracic echocardiogram showed a large mobile mass attached to the inter-atrial septum occupying the whole of the left atrium. She was totally asymptomatic prior to this presentation. She was transferred to a tertiary cardiothoracic unit and had it surgically removed. Histology confirmed a benign atrial myxoma. Her symptoms resolved spontaneously without the need for further medication. This highlights the importance of echocardiography for patients of any age who present to hospital with a first episode of pulmonary oedema. This report also emphasises the fact that all patients, including the elderly, should be immediately referred for surgery because of its good prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Physician Royal Bournemouth Hospital, Castle Lane, BH7 7DW, East Bournemouth, UK
authors.forename: Karthikeyan A.
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Ramasamy
authors.forename: Fulya
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Onal
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pell
authors.forename: Pradeep
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vassallo