Introduction
Atrial myxomas are the most common primary cardiac
tumors1. Clinical features are dictated by their size,
location and mobility. They arise in the left atrium in 75-80% of
cases. In the great majority of cases they are discovered as incidental
findings, being asymptomatic. However, whenever clinical symptoms become
manifest, the most common presentations are embolic, obstructive and
constitutional2. Obstructive symptoms resemble valve
stenosis. Furthermore, impingement on the valve may impair valve
function, requiring associated valve repair/replacement. Primary
treatment is surgical removal of the myxoma; whenever hemodynamic
compromise is present, emergent intervention is
necessary3.
We describe a case of a huge left atrial myxoma that caused nearly
complete obliteration of mitral valve orifice, mimicking mitral
stenosis, and requiring emergent surgical excision.