Familial cardiac myxoma: Carney's complex

• Published in: Texas Heart Institute journal Vol. 30; no. 1; pp. 80 - 82
• Main Authors: MAHILMARAN, Asha, SESHADRI, Mukundan, NAYAR, Pradeep G, SUDARSANA, Gurijala, ABRAHAM, K. A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Houston, TX Texas Heart Institute 2003
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Brief Communication; Cardiology. Vascular system; Child; Fibroma - diagnosis; Fibroma - genetics; Fibroma - surgery; Heart; Heart Neoplasms - diagnosis; Heart Neoplasms - genetics; Heart Neoplasms - surgery; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Myxoma - diagnosis; Myxoma - genetics; Myxoma - surgery; Pigmentation Disorders - diagnosis; Pigmentation Disorders - genetics; Pigmentation Disorders - surgery; Skin Neoplasms - diagnosis; Skin Neoplasms - genetics; Skin Neoplasms - surgery; Syndrome; Tumors of the heart; Sonography; Heart; Human; Carney's complex; Echocardiography; Melanoma; neoplasm recurrence/local; Clinical form; Cardiovascular disease; endocrine diseases/complications; Hereditary; melanosis; neoplasms, multiple primary; skin neoplasms; myxoma/genetics; heart neoplasms/ ultrasonography; myxoma/diagnosis; Case study; Myxoma; heart atrium/ultrasonography; pigmentation disorders; syndrome; Heart disease; Tumor
• ISSN: 0730-2347; 1526-6702

We report a case of Carney's complex in a 12-year-old boy who had the characteristic features of multiple cutaneous tumors, pigmentation, and biatrial myxoma. His large right atrial myxoma almost occluded the tricuspid valve and presented a life-threatening emergency. Surgery saved his life, but recurrence of myxoma was noted on follow-up. The familial nature of the condition is highlighted by the case of the patient's 44-year-old mother, who also presented with features of Carney's complex: multiple cutaneous tumors and a tiny, asymptomatic, left atrial myxoma, which was detected during routine echocardiographic screening.