A Rare Case of Aggressive Infected Atrial Myxoma

Cardiac myxomas are known to be the most common primary benign intracardiac tumors in adults, but infected myxomas represent a rare and challenging complication. We report here the case of a 50-year-old patient with no prior medical history, admitted for febrile ischemic stroke, which revealed an infected left atrial myxoma, treated by surgery and antibiotics.

This case underscores the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of infected cardiac myxomas, which can lead to severe complications such as systemic embolism. Given the rarity and nonspecific clinical presentation of this condition, timely diagnosis and management are crucial. While rapid surgical resection is often advocated due to the high embolic risk, careful assessment of the benefit-risk balance remains essential, particularly in patients with neurological compromise, as our patient. Further studies are warranted to establish a consensus on the optimal management of infected cardiac myxomas.