Neurological symptoms and cerebrovascular accidents: manifestations of left-sided cardiac tumours in adults.

Abstract We present two adult patients with a left-sided cardiac tumour in whom the diagnosis was established by transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography. They both presented with a cerebrovascular accident. Cardiac surgery for tumour excision was offered but refused by one and successfully performed in the other. In one of the patients, right femoro-crural bypass was undertaken because of arterial insufficiency. The patient who refused surgical intervention died secondary to severe septic shock. In the other patient serial transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography showed no tumour recurrence at four years of follow-up post tumour extirpation.