Myxoma of the aortic valve

Abstract

Myxomatous tumours can arise from different cardiac structures. They have a special predilection for the left atrium and are an exceedingly uncommon finding in cardiac valves. We report the case of a 28-year old man who presented with a stroke and was found to have a mass arising from his aortic valve. The patient underwent a successful surgical excision of the aortic valve with the implantation of a mechanical prosthesis. The histopathological examination of the aortic valve confirmed the diagnosis of myxoma. Some aspects related to the diagnosis and management of this entity are discussed in this article. © 2012 The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.