Left atrial myxoma: an unusual cause of acute pulmonary oedema

A case of left atrial myxoma presenting as acute pulmonary oedema is described. As far as we are aware, this is the report in the West Indian medical literature of accurate pre-operative diagnosis and successful surgical excision of such a tumour. Recent improvements in the accuracy of pre-operative diagnosis are discussed, and the present day availability of surgical excision, utilising cardio-pulmonary bypass with excellent post-operative results at low-risk, make response of this case of considerable importance. (AU)

Gamna body of the heart

A patient with cerebral stroke has a cardiac tumour excised. Histologically, it was an infarcted myxoma with features of a gamna body. Findings are compared with other cardiac gamna bodies reported in the literature. Most probably represents unusual degenerative changes in a myxoma. (AU)

Large calcified right atrial myxoma in a newborn: rare cause of neonatal death

A newborn baby girl presented at birth with severe cyanosis, congestive cardiac failure, and an ischaemic leg ulcer, and died within 10 hours of birth. Necropsy disclosed a large haemorrhagic, calcified right atrial myxoma obstructing the tricuspid valve (AU)