Cerebrovascular disease as a neurological complication of cardiac myxoma: a case series and review of the literature

Raymundo Solís-Gómez, Dirección de enseñanza, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugia Manuel Velasco Suárez, Ciudad de México, Mexico
Natalia Dávalos-Cabral, Dirección de enseñanza, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugia Manuel Velasco Suárez, Ciudad de México, Mexico
Gerardo Arrieta-Limón, Dirección de enseñanza, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugia Manuel Velasco Suárez, Ciudad de México, Mexico
Brandon A. Hurtado-Presa, Dirección de enseñanza, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugia Manuel Velasco Suárez, Ciudad de México, Mexico
Andrea Salgado-Alvear, Dirección de enseñanza, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugia Manuel Velasco Suárez, Ciudad de México, Mexico
Laura M. Reyes-Martínez, Dirección de enseñanza, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugia Manuel Velasco Suárez, Ciudad de México, Mexico
Jessrel S. Valencia-Álvarez, Departamento de cardiología y ecocardiografía, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugia Manuel Velasco Suárez, Ciudad de México, Mexico
Fabiola E. Serrano-Arias, Dirección de enseñanza, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugia Manuel Velasco Suárez, Ciudad de México, Mexico

Cardiac myxomas are the most common benign neoplasm of the heart, although their prevalence in the general population is relatively low. They are most frequently located in the left atrium and primarily affect women. Although they represent only 1% of cases of stroke, patients with cardiac myxoma are at higher risk of experiencing them. Immediate surgical resection is the treatment of choice to prevent complications. The American Heart Association considers thrombolysis as the most appropriate treatment for stroke in these patients, in addition to thrombectomy as an equally safe treatment. Stroke is among the most common neurological complications, while aneurysms and brain metastases occur less frequently. The objective of this article is to perform a general review of cardiac myxomas, their diagnosis, and secondary neurological complications, in addition to presenting a series of cases reported in a tertiary center in Mexico City. Timely diagnosis and treatment are essential to prevent complications that may jeopardize the patient’s life or impair their functionality.

Keywords: Heart neoplasms. Myxoma. Stroke. Cerebrovascular disease. Brain neoplasms.