LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP OF CARDIAC MYXOMAS (7-31 YEARS)

Between 1961 and 1985, 14 patients (9 males, 5 females; mean age 42.3 +/- 7.26 years) underwent surgery for excision of cardiac myxoma. Orig in of the neoplasm was left atrium in all patients. In the last 7 case s diagnosis was obtained by echocardiographic examination. The clinica l manifestations were dyspnea in 8 cases, palpitation in 5 and neurolo gical symptoms in 3. One patient with concomitant mitral and aortic in competence died on the 13th postoperative day because of low-output sy ndrome. All 13 operative survivors are alive and well without echocard iographic evidence of neoplastic recurrence at a follow-up ranging fro m 7 to 31 years. These results indicate a low incidence of recurrence with a complete tumor excision even without its extension to the norma l atrial endocardium.