Clinical features and surgical treatment of cardiac myxoma: report of 18 cases.

Myxomas are the most common benign primary cardiac tumors. As many patients with cardiac myxoma suffer from cerebral or systemic embolism, which are serious complications, diagnosis of the tumor is vital. Between 1990 and 2000, 18 patients (6 males, 12 females), aged 24 to 73 years (mean, 55.3 years), were operated on for cardiac myxoma. The most common location of the myxoma was the left atrium (78%), and the transseptal surgical approach was preferred (78%) as it allows total resection of the left atrial myxoma along with its pedicle. Carney complex, a familial autosomal dominant form of atrial myxoma, was not found in any of the patients. There had been no operative or postoperative mortality and morbidity. The mean postoperative follow-up period was 5 years (mean, 1 to 10 years). No recurrence had been seen. We believe that the transseptal approach, in allowing total resection of the myxoma, prevents recurrence.