Right atrial myxoma complicated with pulmonary embolism

A 25-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with chest pain and dyspnea, and was diagnosed as having a right atrial myxoma complicated with pulmonary embolism. An emergency operation was performed with cardiopulmonary bypass. A papillary pedunculated tumor was found having a narrow-based attachment to the free atrial wall. After the tumor was carefully removed together with the atrial wall around the attachment, pulmonary embolectomy was performed. Several fragments of the tumor were removed, and sufficient back-flow from the pulmonary artery was established. The postoperative course was uneventful. However, a non-perfused area was observed in the left lower lung on pulmonary hemodynamic scintigraphy at 3 months after the operation. Long-term observation is required due to the high risk for metastasis and recurrence, and further surgical treatment remains the most appropriate treatment option. A second operation may be needed to prevent progression in complications.     

Multifocal right atrial myxoma and pulmonary embolism

Multifocal cardiac myxoma with greater than two foci is rarely reported in the literature. We report a case of a 22-year-old woman who presented with profound right heart failure, and was found to have seven right atrial myxomas with bilateral pulmonary embolism, including near-complete occlusion of right pulmonary arterial flow. Multifocal atrial myxoma occurs most often in the familial setting, and often is associated with recurrence. Her disease was nonfamilial. She was successfully treated with surgical resection, and has had complete recovery with no evidence of recurrence over a 4-year period.     

Postoperative right atrial and pulmonary embolism after prolonged spinal surgery

Perioperative pulmonary thromboembolism can proceed rapidly with grave prognosis, in which immediate or accurate diagnosis and management is not easy. According to the literatures, patients receiving spinal surgery are at relatively lower risk of developing thromboembolism. We would like to present a case of postoperative pulmonary thromboembolism which developed after a prolonged lumbar spinal surgery. Tachycardia and unstable hemodynamics were noted postoperatively. Pulmonary and right atrial thrombi were disclosed by transesophageal echocardiography. Although cardiotomy and thrombectomy were immediately performed, the patient finally died 3 days after the operation. The pathogenesis of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in the surgical patients, the risk factors which predispose a patient to VTE, diagnosis, and treatment as well as the prophylactic measures of VTE are herein reviewed and discussed.     

Arterial phase left atrial opacification in acute massive pulmonary embolism

Classic angiographic features in acute massive pulmonary embolism include main or lobar arterial branch cut-off, and/or arterial filling defects with matching impaired venous drainage. Six haemodynamically compromised patients with acute massive pulmonary embolism (mean pulmonary artery pressure 55 +/- 12 mmHg), confirmed by pulmonary arteriography, are described. Early opacification of the left atrium during the arterial phase of the pulmonary angiogram was seen in all patients. Follow-up pulmonary arteriography after successful thrombolytic therapy was performed 4 days later in 2 cases. A marked haemodynamic improvement was accompanied by resolution of the previous abnormal angiographic signs, including early opacification of the left atrium. The latter might be a response to intensive reactive vasodilatation of the remaining perfused lung fields resulting in a more rapid pulmonary transit time and the opening of arteriovenous channels with further systemic desaturation. This angiographic sign is a marker of severe, but reversible, vasoconstriction in acute massive pulmonary embolism.     

Surgical treatment of a right atrial myxoma with pulmonary embolism

We report on an 18-year-old man with a right atrial myxoma complicated by widespread pulmonary infarction. Under cardiopulmonary bypass, a typical gelatin-like myxoma of 65 g in weight and the segments of pulmonary infarction were simultaneously removed. From the excised lung specimens, pulmonary tissue infarction caused by myxoma acting as a blocker was recognized. This was a very rare case of myxoma complicated by pulmonary infarction, and we report here the successful removal of the right myxoma and partial pneumonectomy.     

A giant right atrial villous myxoma with simultaneous pulmonary embolism

INTRODUCTION

Primary cardiac tumors are rare and approximately three quarters of them are benign and up to half of the benign tumors are myxomas. Right atrial villous myxoma with pulmonary embolism is an unusual apparition.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

A 29 year-old male was admitted to our outpatient clinic with progressive exertional dyspnea, chest pain and intermittent feeling faint. A giant right atrial villous mobile mass was detected by means of transthoracic echocardiography. To exclude possible pulmonary embolism, chest computed tomography scan was performed and showed filling defects in the branch of the pulmonary artery. The mass was totally resected.

DISCUSSION

RA villous myxoma is a rare subtype in an unusual location with high potential of pulmonary embolism. Early surgery for villous myxoma has a great importance in order to reduce the risk of pulmonary embolism.

CONCLUSION

3D TEE should be a sufficient technique for diagnosis and evoluation of shape, size and origin of the cardiac mass an adequate guide to surgical treatment.     

A right renal angiomyolipoma with IVC thrombus and pulmonary embolism

Angiomyolipomas (AML) are benign lesions, commonly found in the kidney, where they may be single or multiple. There is a high association with tuberous sclerosis or lymphangioleiomyomatosis. When found as a solitary lesion, they are usually found in females in the forties to fifties age group. One of the rare complications is that of involvement of the lymph nodes and vascular spread via the inferior vena cava. We review the available literature and present a case of invasive AML with fat embolism.     

Right atrial metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma

A 65-year-old patient with a past medical history of hypertension, alcoholism, micronodular cirrhosis, and coronary artery bypass grafting 10 years ago developed a hepatocellular carcinoma, treated by chemoembolization. One month after treatment, thoracoabdominal CT scan showed no residual hepatic tumor, but tumoral aspect in the right atrium with extension into the inferior vena cava. The patient being asymptomatic, cardiac ultrasound confirmed the presence of a free, mobile, pediculated tumor in the right atrium. Surgical exploration found a well-circumscribed mass, attached to the atrial wall by a 1.5-cm diameter pedicle implanted near the inferior vena cava ostium, moving freely in the right atrial cavity. The tumor was easily resected by section of the pedicle and its surrounding parietal implantation zone. No complications occurred postoperatively, and the patient was discharged on the 10th postoperative day. Three years after, the patient is in good health and is asymptomatic; cardiac ultrasound showed no tumor recurrence.     

Intraoperative pulmonary tumor embolism after hepatectomy for liver carcinoma

Intraoperative pulmonary tumor embolism occurred during right hepatectomy for primary hepatic carcinoma. The tumor embolus produced abrupt arterial hypotension, tachycardia, an increased central venous pressure, intense cyanosis, followed by cardiac arrest. Pulmonary tumor embolism resulting from hepatic tumors is rare and has not been reported to have occurred intraoperatively. When tumor thrombosis has been detected or suspected, hepatic vascular exclusion should be considered for the prevention of intraoperative embolism.     

A case report of a massive pulmonary tumor embolism occurring during surgery for renal cell carcinoma]

A 59-year-old man, who suffered a massive pulmonary tumor embolism during surgery for renal cell carcinoma with vena caval invasion, was treated by emergency pulmonary embolectomy using cardiopulmonary bypass. Renal cell carcinoma occasionally extends into the inferior vena cava (IVC) as a tumor thrombus. In such patients, removal of the tumor thrombus from the IVC has to be performed in addition to radical nephrectomy. However, the massive pulmonary tumor embolism is a major potential hazard during radical surgical resection. To prevent intraoperative pulmonary embolisms from occurring, scheduled use of cardiopulmonary bypass with the cooperation of cardiovascular surgeons is recommended.