[Cardiac myxoma: clinical characterization, diagnostic methods and late surgical results].
BACKGROUND
Cardiac myxoma is the most common primary cardiac tumor.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate clinical aspects, diagnostic methods and surgical outcomes in patients with cardiac myxoma.


METHODS
AH patients who underwent surgical resection of a cardiac myxoma between January 1973 and December 2004 at our institution, were identified and their medical records and diagnostic data reviewed.


RESULTS
Thirty seven patients identified (24 women), with a median age of 54 years (range 2-74). The most common symptom was dyspnea (51%), followed by embolism (24%) and cardiac murmurs (16%). The diagnosis was made by echocardiogram in 84% of patients. The mean tumor size was 4.9 +/- 1.3 cm. The tumor was located in the left atrium in 83% of the patients, right atrium in 8% and left ventricle in 3%. Two patients had multiple tumors. Surgical approach was transeptal in 51%, left atriotomy in 22%, combined transeptal and roof of the left atrium in 19% and right atriotomy in 8%. The tumor and its attachment base were excised in one piece. There were two operative deaths and five late deaths. The mean follow-up was 11.5 years. The 5, 10, 15 and 20 years survival was 89%, 83%, 75% and 64%, respectively. Two patients had recurrence (5.4%), at 2 and 25 years after surgery, respectively, and the recurrence free survival at 10 and 25 years was 97% and 73%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Dyspnea was the most common symptom and echocardiogram the main diagnostic method. Surgical treatment was highly effective, with low mortality and recurrence rate, with good long term survival.
Becker R
Pedro
P
Departamento de Pediatría, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. pbecker@med.puc.cl
Ramírez M
Alejandro
A
Zalaquett S
Ricardo
R
Moran V
Sergio
S
Irarrázaval Ll
Manuel J
MJ
Arretz V
Claudio
C
Córdova A
Samuel
S
Arnaiz G
Pilar
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009232:Myxoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D055815:Young Adult