Review of current challenges in the diagnosis and therapy of cardiac myxomas.

Cardiac myxoma is the most common benign cardiac tumor. Cardiac myxoma location in general population is approximately 75% in the left atrium and typically arising from the foramen ovale, 23% in the right atrium and only 2% in the ventricles. The symptoms of cardiac myxomas depend on the size, mobility and relation to surrounding cardiac structures. Neurological complications resulting from cardiac myxomas are seen in 20-25% of patients. Molecular genetic studies show that mutations in PRKAR1A gene cause inherited myxomas in setting of the Carney complex tumor syndrome. Cardiac myxoma resection is a low complications rate cardiac surgery operation and the 30-mortality rate is accounting about 0-10%. Recurrence rate of CM is 5 % approximately and may be observe months or years after operation. Long-term follow-up is needed in all patients after tumor resection with transthoracic echocardiography.