ACUTE MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION DUE TO CORONARY EMBOLIZATION FROM LEFT ATRIAL-MYXOMA

We encountered a 67-year-old woman with a left atrial myxoma which was discovered during echocardiographic examination and emergency coronar y arteriography just after an onset of acute inferior myocardial infar ction. Coronary arteriography disclosed an abrupt and total occlusion of the right coronary artery and an abnormally large and tortuous atri al circumflex branch feeding a left atrial mass. These findings were t he most useful for diagnosis. Aorto-coronary bypass surgery and excisi on of the myxoma were performed simultaneously by emergency operation. The postoperative course was uneventful. Myocardial infarction in thi s patient is believed to have been caused by coronary embolization fro m the left atrial myxoma.