CASE REPORT   

Chirurgia 2021 February;34(1):55-7

DOI: 10.23736/S0394-9508.20.05107-4

Copyright © 2020 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Early critical recurrence of cardiac myxoma degenerated into rhabdomyosarcoma

Yoshitaka HAYASHI ^{1, 2} ✉, Yuichiro YOKOYAMA ¹

¹ Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Yotsuba Circulation Clinic, Matsuyama Heart Center, Matsuyama City, Japan; ² Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Intensive and Critical Care Medical Center, Kusatsu General Hospital, Kusatsu City, Japan

A 50-year-old lady underwent surgical resection of an intracardiac tumor occupying the left atrial cavity, which was histopathologically diagnosed as cardiac myxoma with moderate atypia. Monthly echocardiographic examinations demonstrated that there was no evidence of recurrent tumors during the first 5 months after operation, and the patient remained asymptomatic for further 3 months. However, she was sent to other emergency medical institution for the treatment of her sudden cardiogenic shock. It was informed that a redo operation for a recurrent intracardiac tumor was performed in an emergency basis and the second histopathological diagnosis was rhabdomyosarcoma. The present case implies that a follow-up schedule should be determined according to an individual basis, especially in a case suspicious of malignant pathology. In addition, other diagnostic methods independent of echocardiography would be expected for easier screening of possible recurrence.

KEY WORDS: Myxoma; Recurrence; Echocardiography