Atrial myxoma

Atrial myxoma
Micrograph of an atrial myxoma. H&E stain.
Classification and external resources
DiseasesDB	1075
MedlinePlus	007273
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An atrial myxoma is a benign tumor of the heart, most commonly found within the left and then the right atria on the interatrial septum.

Myxomas are the most common type of primary heart tumor.

The tumor is derived from multipotential mesenchymal cells and may cause a ball valve-type obstruction.

About 75% of myxomas occur in the left atrium of the heart, usually beginning in the wall that divides the two upper chambers of the heart. The rest are in the right atrium, rarely in the left ventricle. Right atrial myxomas are sometimes associated with tricuspid stenosis and atrial fibrillation.

Myxomas are more common in women. About 10% of myxomas are passed down through families (inherited), as in Carney syndrome, where several other abnormalities are observed, such as skin myxomas, pigmentation, endocrine hyperactivity, schwannomas and epithelioid blue nevi. Such tumors are called familial myxomas. They tend to occur in more than one part of the heart at a time, and often cause symptoms at a younger age than other myxomas.

Symptoms may occur at any time, but most often they accompany a change of body position. Pedunculated myxomas can have a "wrecking ball effect", as they lead to stasis and may eventually embolize themselves. Symptoms may include:

The symptoms and signs of left atrial myxomas often mimic mitral stenosis. General symptoms may also be present, such as:

These general symptoms may also mimic those of infective endocarditis.

A doctor will listen to the heart with stethoscope. A "tumor plop" (a sound related to movement of the tumor), abnormal heart sounds, or a murmur similar to the mid-diastolic rumble of mitral stenosis may be heard. These sounds may change when the patient changes position.

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