Bilateral atrial myxomas. Echocardiographic considerations.

In this report we describe a patient with bilateral atrial myxomas, which were diagnosed preoperatively by echocardiography and angiography, and successfully removed. The excised tumor mass consisted of mobile right and left atrial myxomas connected by a common stalk which passed through the atrial septum, collectively resembling the shape of a dumbbell. Preoperative echocardiographic and angiographic observations were instrumental in planning the surgical approach, and correlated well with intraoperative findings and with the anatomic configuration of the intact pathologic specimen. Diagnostic aspects of echocardiography are emphasized as they relate to both isolated and bilaterally-occurring atrial myxomas.