What causes a cardiac myxoma?

Although there is not a well-defined underlying cause for myxomas, it is suspected to be the result of a combination of environmental and genetic risk factors. Cardiac myxomas can cause valvular obstruction, leading to episodes of fainting, pulmonary edema, symptoms of right heart failure, or embolisms.

How is a myxoma removed?

Typically, surgical resection of an atrial myxoma is performed via a median sternotomy with the patient on cardiopulmonary bypass. Recurrence of a myxoma after surgical excision is extremely rare, and most patients have an excellent prognosis after surgery.

How common is cardiac myxoma?

Cardiac myxomas are the most common primary cardiac tumors, accounting for 50% of cases.

When surgery for myxoma removal How long is the hospital stay?

Mean hospital stay was 10 ± 3 days (range 4 to 17 days). There was no in-hospital mortality. The follow-up period after resection of myxoma ranged between 46 and 340 months (mean 138 ± 83 months). The overall survival rate was 91% at 40 years.

What are symptoms of myxoma?

Symptoms of a myxoma may include:

• Breathing difficulty when lying flat or on one side or the other.
• Breathing difficulty when asleep.
• Chest pain or tightness.
• Dizziness.
• Fainting.
• Sensation of feeling your heart beat (palpitations)
• Shortness of breath with activity.
• Symptoms due to embolism of tumor material.

How long can you live with a heart tumor?

The average life expectancy after a heart cancer diagnosis is about six months without surgical treatment, and greater than a year when surgery is possible with some reports of patients surviving several years after a complete resection of the tumor.

What are the symptoms of myxoma?

Are heart tumors fatal?

Few, but Deadly Cardiac primary tumors, those originating in the heart itself, are extremely rare. In published autopsy series, the high-end incidence of such tumors is about one quarter of one percent. The majority of diagnosed cardiac tumors are benign.

Where does a myxoma occur in the heart?

Primary cardiac tumors are rare. Myxomas are the most common type of these rare tumors. About 75% of myxomas occur in the left atrium of the heart. They most often begin in the wall that divides the two upper chambers of the heart.

Is the myxoma a cancer or a benign tumor?

Myxoma is a non-cancerous (benign) tumor of the heart. In fact, it is the most common primary heart tumor. A primary heart tumor is one that originates within the heart as opposed to another organ or tissue.

Can a heart myxoma cause sudden cardiac death?

Both valvular obstruction and embolisms can potentially cause sudden cardiac death. Additionally cardiac myxomas can interfere with the electrical signaling of the heart, and cause abnormal heart rhythms like atrial fibrillation. This can be felt as palpitations, or the feeling of extra or skipped heartbeats.

How big does a cardiac myxoma tumor get?

A “tumor plop” (a sound related to movement of the tumor), abnormal heart sounds, or a murmur similar to the mid-diastolic rumble of mitral stenosis may be heard. These sounds may change when the patient changes position. Right atrial myxomata rarely produce symptoms until they have grown to be at least 13 cm (about 5 inches) wide.