A Closed Interatrial Septum Aneurysm, Filled with Blood, Mimicking a Tumour in the Right Atrium

Abstract

We report the case of a 70-year-old woman with rheumatic mitral stenosis and a transient ischaemic attack. Transoesophageal echocardiography revealed a cystic mass in the right atrium, hanging to the interatrial septum by a pedicle, not circulating. The mass was heterogeneous and suggested a tumour (myxoma) or a thrombus. Surgical resection showed it was an interatrial septal aneurysm, closed on itself, filled with blood. The usual causes of cardiac tumours and pathogeny of large interatrial aneurysms are discussed. © 2000 The European Society of Cardiology.