Left Atrial Myxoma and Descending Aortic Dissection in a Patient with Cerebrovascular Accident: an Incidental Coexistent Finding

Cardiac myxomas are benign tumors of the heart with a surgical incidence of about 0.5/million population/year. They usually present during the 4th to 6th decades and are more commonly seen in females. About 75% arise in the left atrium (LA) and most are singly pedunculated, although multiple and villous forms have been described. Echocardiography has greatly facilitated the diagnosis of cardiac tumors. We report a case of left atrial myxoma as a source of emboli and an incidental finding of localized descending aortic dissection subsequent to a remote traumatic deceleration injury of the thoracic aorta. This is the first case of coexistence of LA myxoma and aortic dissection (Iranian Heart Journal 2007; 8 (3): 48-51).