Erdoes Gabor, Reineke David, Basciani Reto, Carrel Thierry, Eberle Balthasar
Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Therapy, University Hospital Bern, Freiburgstrasse, Bern CH-3010, Switzerland.
Eur J Echocardiogr. 2010 Apr;11(3):E8. doi: 10.1093/ejechocard/jep192. Epub 2009 Dec 3.
The case of a 55-year-old woman is presented, whose clinical signs were initially suggestive of infective endocarditis. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) provided the diagnosis of a large left atrial myxoma attached to the anterior mitral leaflet. Perioperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) confirmed preoperative findings and assisted the surgical team in the assessment of tumour size, area of attachment, and mobility. Following tumour resection, TEE demonstrated residual moderate mitral valve regurgitation, which resulted in a change of surgical strategy. This report reinforces the importance of intraoperative TEE to facilitate and optimize surgical and anaesthesiological management of patients presenting with non-specific cardiorespiratory symptoms.
