Clinical, echocardiographic and echophonocardiographic characteristics of the atrial myxomas in 22 years period.
BACKGROUND
Atrial myxomas are the most frequent benign tumors of the heart. Left atrial myxomas are about 3-4 times more frequent then right. Clinical findings reveal atrioventricular obstruction symptoms and signs, symptoms and signs of peripheral arteries or pulmonary artery embolisation and/or nonspecific symptoms.


OBJECTIVE
Review of atrial myxomas diagnosed at the Clinic of Cardiology in 20 years period and analysis of clinical characteristics, transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE), transesophageal echocardiographic (TEE), and M-mod echophonographic findings.


METHODS
TTE is performed in all, but TEE in 16 patients. Simultaneous M-mod echophonocardiographic examination were performed in 11 patients, when optional equipment was applicable.


RESULTS
We found 24 atrial myxomas: 19 (79.2%) in left and 5 (20.810%) in right atrium. 21(87.5%) patients had some of the symptoms, but 3 (12.5%) were asymptomatic. TTE was performed in all patients, but we found 1 (2.4%) false negative result. TEE was performed in 14 (58.3%) patients. Echophonocardiographic recordings showed early diastolic tumor "plop" in 10 patients and unusual late diastolic tumor "plop" in one right atrial myxoma, which has not yet been described.


CONCLUSIONS
TTE is a reliable method in diagnosis of atrial myxomas, but not in all cases, while TEE has been found as always reliable. Echophonocardiographic recording is useful for confirmation and understanding of auscultatory finding when applicable.
Buksa
Marko
M
Clinic of Heart Disease, Clinical Center of University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. m.buksa@yahoo.com
Gerc
Vjekoslav
V
Dilic
Mirza
M
Loza
Vesna
V
Naser
Nabil
N
Sokolovic
Sekib
S
Hodzic
Enisa
E
Brdjanovic
Snjezana
S
Kulic
Mehmed
M
D000328:Adult; D004452:Echocardiography; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009232:Myxoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010701:Phonocardiography