Myxoma of the Right Atrium, with Variable Right-to-Left Shunt

ABOUT 150 cases of myxoma of the heart have been described in the world literature, but until recently most of these cases have been of academic interest, demonstrable mainly at post-mortem examination. Cardiac surgery has now made it possible to remove these tumors from the open heart, and 3 successful excisions have already been reported.1 2 3 Preoperative diagnosis thus becomes a matter of major concern. The case reported below illustrates well some of the problems of differential diagnosis, and the help, as well as the occasional confusion, to be obtained from a co-ordinated interdepartmental approach, employing pulmonary-function studies, cardiac catheterization and . . .