COVID-19 mortality in a patient with left atrial myxoma

Abstract

Individuals with comorbid conditions, particularly those with cardiovascular diseases, are at a higher risk of mortality due to COVID-19. Among primary cardiac tumours, atrial myxoma is the most commonly reported, accounting for 85% of all cases. Most tumours occur in the left atrium with an associated embolic phenomenon in 40to 50% of patients. In this case report, we describe a 35-year-old woman of West African descent who had a left atrial myxoma and was waiting for surgery. She presented with signs and symptoms of biventricular heart failure, and her severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) test results were negative. She deteriorated and died while being optimized medically before cardiac surgery. Postmortem confirmed a left atrial myxoma, myocardial infarction, bacterial endocarditis, congestive cardiac failure, COVID-19 pneumonia, as well as a positive real-time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (rRT-PCR) SARS-CoV-2 test on lung swabs. Though uncommon, cardiac myxomas may result in mortality if not managed promptly. COVID-19 may complicate the management of patients with atrial myxoma with mortality.