The protective effect of mitral stenosis on the embolization of a free-floating left atrial myxoma.

Mitral stenosis associated with free left atrial myxoma is very rare. A free myxoma is life-threatening when incarcerated in the mitral orifice or if embolization of the whole tumor occurs. We report a case of a female patient with moderate mitral stenosis and a detached left atrial myxoma. The myxoma was spherical, solid and smooth-surfaced. Mitral stenosis prevented the exit of the tumor from the left atrium and a possible fatal outcome. The tumor was surgically removed and mitral commissurotomy was successfully performed. Histological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of myxoma.