CARDIOVASCULAR JOURNAL OF AFRICA • Vol 22, No 6, November/December 2011
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AFRICA
quite low in our series. Untreated benign cardiac tumours can be
distressing to both patient and physician.
Treatment of myxomas is usually done by surgical removal of
the tumour. Complete resection, given the low operative mortal-
ity rate that can be accomplished in experienced hands, and then
follow up by serial echocardiography over five or six years to
monitor for recurrences are crucial for an appropriate therapeutic
approach, although late recurrences with neurological symptoms
have been noted in the literature.
12,13
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TABLE I. PRIMARY CARDIAC TUMOURS
Case Age Gender
Final
diagnosis
Presenting
symptom
BP
(mmHg)
Pulse
(beats/
min) Rhythm NYHA
Diagnostic
methods
Valve
disease
Pericardial
effusion
Surgical procedure Outcome
1
35 F LA myxoma Dyspnoea
120/60
82
AF 2
Echo 2º MR
2º TR
–
Tumour resection Healing
2
70 M LA myxoma Dyspnoea
+
palpitations
110/60
88 Sinus
rhythm
4
Echo
+
CAG
3º TR
–
Tumour resection Healing
3
65 F LA myxoma Dyspnoea
+
haemoptysis
130/70
116 AF 2
Echo
+
CAG
2–3º TR –
Tumour resection Healing
4
58 F LA myxoma Pain and pares-
tesia in right leg
130/70
90
AF 2
Echo 1º MR –
Tumour resection
+
pericardial patch
Healing
5
35 F RA myxoma Eleve fever
+
palpitations
140/70
96 Sinus
rhythm
3
Echo 2º TR
–
Tumour resection
+
debridement
Healing
6
60 F RA myxoma
+
CAD
Fatigue
+
emesis
120/60
82 Sinus
rhythm
2
Echo
+
CAG
1º MR
1º TR
–
Off-pump LIMA–LAD
bypass
+
tumour
resection
Healing
7
66 F LA myxoma Dyspnoea
+
palpitations
110/70
68
AF 3
Echo
+
CAG
2–3º TR
+
Tumour resection
+
tricuspid De Vega plasty
Healing
8
62 F RA myxoma Dyspnoea
+
ankle oedema
120/70
72 Sinus
rhythm
4
Echo
+
CAG
–
–
Tumour resection
Died
9
61 M LA myxoma Dyspnoea
+
palpitations
130/80
78 Sinus
rhythm
2 Echo
+
CT –
–
Tumour resection Healing
10 57 F LA myxoma Pallor
+
pain
bilaterally down
extremities and
enuresis
120/70
115 AF 2
Echo +
abdominal
CDUS
1º MR
2º TR
Min AR
+
Tumor resection
+
femoro-popliteal
aorto-iliac thrombo-
endarterctomy
Healing
11 60 F LA myxoma Dyspnoea
+
palpitations
120/60
70 Sinus
rhythm
3
Echo
2–3º
MR
MS
–
Tumour resection +
MVR
Healing
12 58 F LA myxoma Dyspnoea
+
fatigue
120/70
94 Sinus
rhythm
3
Echo 2º TR
–
Tumour resection +
tricuspid De Vega plasty
Healing
RA
=
right atrial, LA
=
left atrial, AF
=
atrial fibrillation, Echo
=
echocardiography, CAG
=
coronary angiography, CT
=
computed tomography, CDUS
=
colour
Doppler ultrasonography, MR
=
mitral regurgitation , TR
=
tricuspid regurgitation, AR
=
aortic regurgitation, MS
=
mitral stenosis, LIMA–LAD
=
left internal
mammary artery–left anterior descending artery, De Vega plasty
=
De Vega’s tricuspid annuloplasty, MVR
=
mitral valve repair.
