Valve dysfunction in patients with cardiac myxomas: mechanism of damage and methods of correction

Abstract

The aim – to analyze the frequency and nature of lesions of the valve apparatus, to evaluate the results of surgical correction of the affected valves in heart myxomas. Materials and methods. In one-centre study, during period from 01.01.1969 to 01.10.2020, 962 patients with morphologically verified primary heart tumors were observed. Myxomas of the heart were found in 856 (89.0 %) patients. The pathology of the valve apparatus in combination with cardiac myxomas was noted in 70 (8.1 %) patients. The volume and nature of valve damage differed and depended on size, consistency and localization of myxoma, the degree of its mobility, and the presence of areas of pronounced fibrosis and calcification on the tumor. Results. Surgical correction of lesions of valve structures was performed in 65 patients. In 5 patients, it was possible to remove tumor tissue from the valve apparatus, followed by prevention of disease recurrence without damaging valve and subvalvular structures. Surgical techniques included both plastic manipulation and valve replacement. The features of the long-term postoperative period in such patients include progressive valve dysfunction manifested by the progression of insufficiency due to further deformation of the valve apparatus. Conclusions. Alongside with myxoma removal, it is necessary to conduct a thorough examination of the valve apparatus and correction of valve damage by various methods, including plastic surgery and valve replacement, depending on the nature and severity of the damage.

Keywords

• cardiac tumors
• myxoma
• valve structures
• surgical treatment