A case of left ventricular myxoma

Left ventricular myxoma is very rare. To our knowledge, only 26 cases have been reported in the English and 7 cases in the Japanese literature. A 71-year-old man in our care was being followed due to angina pectoris. Two-dimensional echocardiography revealed a small mass in the left ventricular outflow tract. An operation was performed under cardiopulmonary bypass on July 14, 1992. A small mass located on the anterior wall of the left ventricle was excised en bloc via a transaortic approach. The gelatinous mass measuring 24 x 12 x 3 mm was determined histopathologically to be a myxoma. The postoperative course was uneventful and there has been no sign of recurrence so far. Because recurrent cases have been reported in the past, careful follow-up will be performed periodically.