Left atrial myxoma: presentation with acute aortic occlusion and 'resolution' of the primary tumor.

We report a case of an acute infrarenal aortic occlusion caused by embolization of a left atrial myxoma. The aortoiliac embolus was removed by an emergency embolectomy with a Fogarty catheter. Patient refused initially the resection of the small remaining part of his cardiac tumor. Two months later, he agreed and a surgical resection was performed. Peroperatively and histopathologically, no residual tumor could be detected. This is the first report of embolization of a left atrial myxoma with subsequent asymptomatic complete embolization or regression.