Mitral valve recurrence of a left atrial myxoma

Recurrence of intracardiac myxoma is unusual, and heart valves are extremely rare locations for this tumor to originate, either as the primary site or the site of recurrence. We present a case of non-familial cardiac myxoma, which after successful resection of the tumor mass from the left atrium, recurred in the atrial surface of anterior leaflet of the mitral valve, along with a review of similar cases in the literature. Myxoma was originally believed to recur due to inadequate resection, but recent data suggest the multicenteric disease to be the reason. Mitral valve myxoma mainly presents with symptoms of embolization and appears to affect women more often. It involves both leaflets with the same frequency and usually originates from the atrial side. Transesophageal echocardiography is the gold standard for non-invasive diagnosis and localization. Operative resection of the tumor along with the underlying tissue followed by suture repair of the valve and annuloplasty is recommended as the most appropriate treatment option. Long-term follow-up of patients by echocardiography is advised for early detection of any recurrence.