Emergency radiology
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Emergency radiology · Mar 2006
Case ReportsSystemic septic embolisation secondary to an atrial myxoma in a young woman.
We present a case of a left atrial myxoma infected with Staphylococcus aureus in a 35-year-old woman who was found to have a retained tampon. Multiple systemic septic emboli were seen on computed tomography imaging of the brain, spleen and kidneys. She was successfully treated by surgical excision of the myxoma and 4 weeks of antibiotic therapy. ⋯ As far as the authors are aware, this is the first reported case of such an entity. In those with an underlying cardiac predisposition, tampon use may represent a risk of infection with S. aureus, and we intend to heighten clinical awareness of this potentially life-threatening association. We also discuss the diagnosis, complications and treatment of infected atrial myxoma and illustrate the imaging findings.