Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2004; 52(5): 302-304
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-821167
Short Communication

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Cystic Tumor in the Left Atrium: An Unusual Aspect of a Myxoma

K. Schlaudraff1 , J. Grunenfelder1 , M. Turina1
  • 1Clinic for Cardiovascular Surgery Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Further Information

Publication History

Received February 19, 2004

Publication Date:
06 October 2004 (online)

Abstract

Most cardiac tumors are benign, whereas up to 50 % of the diagnosed cases are histologically myxomas. The common clinical signs are rhythm disturbances, myocardial ischemia, pulmonary edema, syncope and cardiac arrest. They do normally lead to the diagnostic hypothesis of an intracardiac mass. The primary modality for imaging is echocardiography which usually confirms the suspected diagnosis. But in rare cases there are masses which cannot be exactly identified by this technique. Here we present a patient with an atypical echocardiography of an unusual intracardiac tumor.

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Dr. Kirsten Schlaudraff

Clinic for Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital

Rämistraße 100

8091 Zurich

Switzerland

Email: Kirsten.Schlaudraff@usz.ch

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