LEFT ATRIAL-MYXOMA AND MYOCARDIAL-INFARCT ION

The authors report the case of a 40 year old man with a postero-inferi or myocardial infarction. Echocardiography showed a large left atrial myxoma. Coronary angiography performed 20 days after the onset of infa rction was completely normal. The tumour was successfully removed surg ically. The authors review the literature of this rare association (20 reported cases) which were commonly observed since the widespread use of echocardiography and coronary angiography. These investigations ha ve improved the understanding of the physiopathology of this associati on. One of the possible hypotheses of diastolic mitral obstruction by the tumour was the probable mechanism of infarction in this case due t o prolonged impaired coronary filling due to low cardiac output.