title: Morbidity and embolic potential of left atrial cardiac tumors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the study was to correlate cardiac tumors with implantation site, embolic potential and long-term evolution in patients undergoing surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1981 to 2004, 78 patients underwent surgery for cardiac tumors. 64 % were female, with a mean age of 44 years. 14 % had embolic episodes (91 % CVA). The sizes of the tumors ranged from 0.4 cm to 10 cm. The most frequent tumors were myxomas (70 %), papillary fibroelastomas and fibromas. The preferential location was the left atrium (72 %). Data were analyzed using chi (2) and Student's T-tests, and the Kaplan-Meyer method and curves were compared with the log-rank test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hospital mortality was 6 % and 8.2 % in the follow-up period. Myxoma was predominantly found in the left atrium ( P < 0.0001; OR = 12.8 and 4 - 41 95 % CI). Left atrial tumors showed less mortality ( P = 0.1; OR = 3 and 0.7 - 11.6 95 % CI), with a lower mortality for myxomas ( P < 0.001), fewer recurrences ( P = 0.03; OR = 8.7 and 0.8 - 89 95 % CI), and a greater embolic potential than in other locations ( P = 0.03 % OR = 0.7 and 0.6 - 0.8 95 % CI).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Left atrial tumors showed greater embolic potential, fewer recurrences and less mortality.
authors.affiliation: Heart Institute Incor, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil. diasrr@hotmail.com
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.forename: N A G
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Stolf
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Malbouisson
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: F J A
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mady
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Oliveira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004617:Embolism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009232:Myxoma / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D015996:Survival Rate