Neurological manifestations of cardiac myxoma: experience in a referral hospital.

INTRODUCTION Cardiac myxoma is an important but uncommon cause of stroke in younger patients. Few published case series analyse the frequency and clinical presentation of neurological complications in patients with myxoma. OBJECTIVE To list all neurological complications from cardiac myxoma recorded in our hospital in the past 28 years. PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the neurological manifestations of cardiac myxoma in patients treated in our hospital between December 1983 and March 2012. RESULTS Of the 36 patients with cardiac myxoma, 8 (22%) presented neurological manifestations. Half were women and mean age of patients was 52.4 ± 11.6 years. Sudden-onset hemiparesis was the most frequent neurological symptom (63%). Established ischaemic stroke was the most common clinical manifestation (75%), followed by transient ischemic attack. The most commonly affected territory corresponded to the middle cerebral artery. Myxoma was diagnosed by echocardiography in all cases. Mean myxoma size was 4.1cm and most of the tumours (63%) had a polypoid surface. All tumours were successfully removed by surgery. There were no in-hospital deaths. CONCLUSIONS Cardiac myxomas frequently present with neurological symptoms, especially ischaemic events (established stroke or transient ischaemic attack), in younger patients with no cardiovascular risk factors. The anterior circulation is more frequently affected, especially the middle cerebral artery. Echocardiography can facilitate prompt diagnosis and early treatment of the lesion.