A patient with a left atrial myxoma is reported to illustrate the value of two dimensional real time echocardiography in the diagnosis of intracavitary cardiac tumours.
Left atrial myxoma almost always arises in the inter-atrial septum. A case is described where it arose from the posterior wall of the left atrium. Clinical presentation was suggestive of mitral stenosis and sub-acute bacterial endocarditis and diagnosis was arrived at necropsy.
The left atrial myxoma is important not only because of its relative frequency and diagnostic difficulty but because it can be successfully removed by surgery. However, if untreated, it invariably leads to death. We report three cases seen at the Cardiology Department, General Hospital, Kuala Lumpur in 1985.
Aggressive angiomyxoma is a benign soft tissue tumour usually affecting the pelvis and perineum predominantly in women. Because of its variable presentation, this tumour is often clinically misdiagnosed as liposarcoma. We describe a case of a 38-year-old woman who presented with a large perineal and gluteal mass which increased in size in one year. Ultrasound showed hypoechoic mixed solid and cystic mass. Contrasted CT and MRI examinations showed typical appearance of swirling and layering pattern. She had undergone TAHBSO as the mass was difficult to dissect intra-operatively. The post-operative specimen confirmed to be an aggressive angiomyxoma.
Myxomas are uncommon primary cardiac tumours that usually affect the left atrium. We herein report the case of a patient who presented with right heart failure and proteinuria, leading to the diagnosis of atrial myxoma. Surgical resection resulted in resolution of the patient's symptoms.