Cardiac myxoma: Clinical and pathological features of a rare benign primary heart neoplasm among Tuzla Canton patients

Objective: To investigate the clinical and pathological features of a rare benign primary cardiac tumour.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 13 patients diagnosed with cardiac myxoma (CM) over a six-year period. Patient data including demographics, clinical presentation, imaging, laboratory, echocardiographic, histopathological characteristics, surgical intervention details, and postoperative outcomes were reviewed.

Results: The mean age of patients included in the study was 57,69±13,47 (range 29 to 80 years), with a female predominance. The most common location of the tumour was left atrium (69.2%), followed by the right atrium (23.1%) and the left ventricle (7.7%). The most common clinical presentation included a combination of dyspnea, angina, fatigue and palpitations (76.9%). Followed by a syncope (15.4%), while one patient was asymptomatic. There was significant association with left ventricular location of CM and the presence of arrhythmia (p=0.004). Besides usually observed histological findings, glandular structures with mucin forming glands were present in 30.8% of cases and calcifications in 15.4%. All patients underwent surgical resection with favorable short-term outcomes.

Conclusion: Cardiac myxoma is a rare but clinically significant neoplasm requiring prompt diagnosis and surgical management. Echocardiography remains essential for detection, and histopathology reveals a spectrum of features. Despite the study’s small sample size, findings highlight the importance of early recognition and support the need for larger multicentric studies to better define its prevalence and behavior.