Bilateral atrial myxomas. Surgical correction after echocardiographic diagnosis.

A case is reported of bilateral atrial myxomas diagnosed noninvasively by echocardiography and successfully removed. The excised tumor mass consisted of a mobile right atrial myxoma prolapsing into the right ventricle and a less mobile, not prolapsing myxoma in the left atrium. The operation was performed entirely on the basis of echocardiographic findings, which correlated well with the operative results. Further investigation by computer tomography verified the diagnosis, but added no extra information of importance for therapy. Diagnostic aspects of the combined application of M-mode and cross-sectional echocardiography with Doppler echocardiography are emphasized. Postoperative follow-up echocardiography showed the complete removal of the myxomas and improvement of cardiac function.