Abstract

AGUILERA, B.; SUAREZ-MIER, M.P.  and  GARCIA GARCIA, R.. Sudden death due to cerebral embolism from a left atrial myxoma. Cuad. med. forense [online]. 2011, vol.17, n.3, pp.149-153. ISSN 1988-611X.  https://dx.doi.org/10.4321/S1135-76062011000300007.

Myxoma is the most common primary tumor of the heart. Clinical manifestations are due to cardiac disturbance, systemic embolism and constitutional symptoms. Although it is a benign tumor, embolism, especially cerebral ones, can produce neurological complications. Surgical treatment of the myxomas is indicated to prevent cerebral complications. We present the case of a previously asymptomatic 47 years-old man who suffer syncope during sexual intercourse, dying few hours later without recover conscientious. At autopsy, in the left atria there was a gelatinous tumor, 1cm length, attached to the interatrial septum and the internal right carotid artery was occluded by a thrombus. Microscopically, the tumor demonstrated the characteristic histological findings of cardiac myxoma covered by fibrinous thrombus and, the carotid artery was occluded by a tumoral embolism.

Keywords : Sudden death; Cardiac tumour; Myxoma; Cerebral embolism.

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