ATRIAL MYXOMA: AN EXPERIENCE IN A TERTIARY CARE CENTER

Abstract

Objective: To assess the success rate of surgical excision, complications and midterm follow up of patients with atrial myxoma in our center.

Material and Methods: In this retrospective case record study, all patients of atrial myxoma since January 1993 till December 2009 admitted in the department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar for surgical excision were assessed for operative success rate, peri-operative complications and midterm follow up for 6 months.

Results: A total of 57 patients underwent surgical excision for atrial myxoma. Mean age of the sample was 35.2+16.7 Years. There were 37(64.91%) female patients. Forty five (78.94%) patients had palpitations while 38(66.66%) patients reported shortness of breath and 5 (8.77%) patients had atrial fibrillation preoperatively. Diagnosis of atrial myxoma was made with transthoracic  chocardiography in 50 (87.71%) patients. Fifty (87.71%) patients had myxoma located in the left atrium while five (8.77%) patients had myxoma in the right atrium and two (3.5%) patients had the myxoma attached to the mitral valve leaflets. Only 2 patients had embolic phenomenon; one recovered completely in two weeks time while the other undergone successful embolectomy. There was no intraoperative mortality and only one patient died post operatively due to multi organ failure. On six month follow up, there was no local recurrence while 8 (14.03%) patients had atrial fibrillation. Only two patients (3.5%) were lost to follow up.

Conclusion: Our experience with surgical excision of atrial myxoma suggests that it is curative with minimum complications and recurrence rate.