Effective intravenous thrombolytic therapy in a patient with cerebral infarction associated with left atrial myxoma

Intern Med. 2011;50(20):2401-5. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.50.5545. Epub 2011 Oct 15.

Abstract

A 70-year-old man presented with sudden onset of global aphasia and right hemiplegia. Brain MRI revealed occlusion of the left middle cerebral artery. He was diagnosed as having a hyperacute cerebral infarction. Intravenous thrombolytic therapy was started, and the neurological symptoms were resolved after 11 h. Echocardiography showed a mobile mass in the left atrium, suspicious of a myxoma. The tumor was resected and pathologically diagnosed as a myxoma. In this patient, intravenous thrombolytic therapy was effective, and no adverse effects were observed. This suggests that, even with complications of myxoma, thrombolytic therapy can be considered if there are no contraindications.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Cerebral Infarction / drug therapy*
  • Cerebral Infarction / etiology*
  • Fibrinolytic Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Heart Atria*
  • Heart Neoplasms / complications*
  • Humans
  • Infusions, Intravenous
  • Male
  • Myxoma / complications*
  • Thrombolytic Therapy / methods*
  • Tissue Plasminogen Activator / administration & dosage*

Substances

  • Fibrinolytic Agents
  • Tissue Plasminogen Activator