Ockham's razor or Hickam's dictum: a right atrial mass following excision of left atrial myxoma

Eur J Echocardiogr. 2008 May;9(3):415-6. doi: 10.1093/ejechocard/jen023. Epub 2008 Mar 11.

Abstract

We report a case of a 54-year-old man presenting with a right atrial mass 7 months after undergoing a left atrial myxoma excision surgery. The differential diagnosis included recurrent myxoma or thrombus. The patient underwent repeat open sternotomy on cardiopulmonary bypass. Histopathological evaluation of the mass revealed an organizing thrombus. This report is, to our knowledge, the first that demonstrates right atrial thrombus shortly following excision of left atrial myxoma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Cardiac Surgical Procedures / adverse effects*
  • Heart Atria
  • Heart Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Heart Neoplasms / surgery
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myxoma / diagnostic imaging*
  • Myxoma / surgery
  • Thrombosis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Thrombosis / etiology
  • Ultrasonography