Left Ventricular Myxoma causing Dyspnoea in Paediatric Patient: A Rare Case Report.

Abstract

Cardiac tumours are a relatively rare entity in clinical practice, with an estimated prevalence of 0.0017-0.19% among the general population. Among these, myxomas represent the most common primary cardiac tumours, accounting for approximately 50% of cases. In paediatric age group these tumours are rare and when present they may present a diagnostic challenge because of the non-specific symptoms they produce. A high index of suspicion is necessary for the diagnosis of cardiac myxomas in paediatric age group. Any patient presenting with unexplained dyspnoea and signs of failure must be thoroughly investigated for the possibility of cardiac tumours particularly myxoma. Echocardiography will generally pick up the tumour. transoesophageal echocardiography can pick up even smaller myxomas. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can not only show presence but also delineate the precise location, size, and extent of the tumour, which is invaluable for surgical planning. Management of these tumours is usually surgical and the prognosis is excellent if these cases are diagnosed early and treated with prompt surgical resection. We here present a case of 12-year-old boy who presented to us with dyspnoea and eventually found to be having left ventricular myxoma. The case highlights the importance of proper evaluation of paediatric patients for the presence of intracardiac tumours particularly in cases of unexplained dyspnoea.