Methods: The study included 47 patients (22 males, 25 females; mean age 48.6±15.4 years; range 15 to 68 years) who were operated with a diagnosis of intracardiac myxoma between February 1990 and October 2012 in our clinic. Of the myxomas, 40 originated from the left atrium, and seven from the mitral valve anterior annulus. All patients were diagnosed with echocardiography. Diagnosis was supported with cardiac magnetic resonance in 15 patients, and with cardiac computed tomography in five patients. All patients underwent elective operation via cardiopulmonary bypass with aortic arterial and bicaval venous cannulation technique.

Results: In all patients, the tumor was resected together with the surrounding intact tissue. The defect was repaired primarily in 30 patients and by pericardial patch in 17 patients. No operative mortality was observed. Two patients (4%) died in the early period (the first 30 days). There was no late mortality. The diagnosis of myxoma was confirmed histopathologically after the operation. The mean follow-up period was 88.2±11.4 months. Recurrence occurred in two patients (4%) who were diagnosed as cardiac myxoma. In these patients, mortality and recurrence were not observed after reoperation.

Conclusion: According to our study findings, resecting of the cardiac myxomas together with the surrounding tissue from which they were originated in the shortest time after diagnosis results in low morbidity and mortality rates.