Left atrial mass causing obstruction after retransplantation: case report and surgical technique.

BACKGROUND: We describe the case of a 57-year-old woman who developed right heart failure after a second orthotopic bicaval cardiac transplant. CASE REPORT: Perioperative transesophageal echocardiogram showed a left atrial mass consisting of redundant tissue at the atrial suture line in the left atrium that did not have a significant hemodynamic effect under general anesthesia. CONCLUSIONS: After discharge from the intensive care unit, she developed right heart failure that required excision and left atrial patch augmentation.