Background: Cardiac tumors are quite rare, but they may have a fatal outcome due to their potential complications. Myxomas are the most common benign cardiac tumors in adults.

Methods: Between January 1983 and March 2001, 45 cardiac myxoma cases were operated in our institution. Two of them were redo cases, 15 of them were male and average age was 40 ± 6.9 years. Symptoms of patients varied according to the involved chamber of heart. Particularly, signs related to the obstruction of blood flow were predominating. Tumor was located in left atrium in 32 (71.2%) cases, in right atrium in 7 (15.5%) cases, in left and right atrium in 4 (8.9%) cases, in right atrium and right ventricle in one case (2.2%) and in left atrium and right ventricle in one case (2.2%). Cardiopulmonary bypass with aortic and bicaval cannulation technique was used in all cases. Surgical approach in 16 cases was opening the chamber containing the tumor, biatriotomy in 24 cases, transseptal approach in 3 cases, left atriotomy with right ventriculotomy in one case and right atriotomy with right ventriculotomy in one case. In 28 (62.2%) cases, four cardiac chambers were checked for a concomitant cardiac tumor.

Results: Five (11%) cases died during early postoperative period. Survived cases did not experience any recurrences. No mortality was observed during long-term follow-up.

Conclusions: Although myxomas are benign tumors, due to their obstructive signs and embolic complications, and because they might be confused with left atriyal thrombus and valvular pathologies. They should be diagnosed early and treated surgically. Also, all cardiac chambers should be checked for a concomitant tumor.