Usefulness of coronary angiography in patients with left atrial myxoma.

The purpose of the study was to determine the frequency of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients >40 years of age with left atrial (LA) myxoma. We analyzed patients diagnosed with LA myxoma who underwent coronary angiography over a 23-year period at Baylor University Medical Center. CAD was found in 14 of the 17 patients (82%), 7 of whom underwent coronary artery bypass grafting at the time of excision of the myxoma.

Asymptomatic Ascending Aorta Aneurysm With Severe Aortic Regurgitation Caused by Multiple Intimal-Medial Tears Unassociated With Aortic Dissection.

A 62-year-old man was found to have an asymptomatic ascending aortic aneurysm (6.6 cm) associated with severe aortic regurgitation. Operative resection of the wall of the aneurysm disclosed its cause to be multiple healed intimal-medial tears without dissection involving a previously normal aorta.

Aorto-right atrial fistula after Bentall repair.

We describe a man with the Marfan syndrome and a prior ascending aortic aneurysm resection who presented with knee pain and concern of endocarditis. Transesophageal echocardiogram showed no vegetations, and computed tomography angiogram of the heart showed a possible pseudoaneurysm. Cardiac catheterization and aortogram revealed the diagnosis of an aorto-right atrial fistula, which was then operatively repaired.