A 47-year-old man presented with a history of syncope that lasted for 3 min and was not accompanied by jerky movement of limbs or incontinence. After regaining consciousness, he felt generalised weakness. There was no history of chest pain or palpitation. ECG showed normal sinus rhythm. All blood investigations were normal. Transthoracic echocardiography showed a large multilobulated echo dense mass in the left atrium. The mass was prolapsing through the mitral valve during diastole. Transoesophageal echocardiography verified these findings and also showed the stalk of the mass attached to the interatrial septum near the fossa ovalis. The mass was highly suggestive of myxoma. The patient underwent surgical resection of the mass and histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of left atrial myxoma.

SUMMARYA 27-year-old woman with a history of bileaflet mitral valve prolapse and moderate mitral regurgitation presented to our emergency with untractable polymorphic wide complex tachycardia and unstable haemodynamics. After cardiopulmonary resuscitation, return of spontaneous circulation was achieved 30 min later. Her post-resuscitation ECG showed a prolonged QT interval which progressively normalised over the same day. Her laboratory investigations revealed hypocalcaemia while other electrolytes were within normal limits. A diagnosis of ventricular arrhythmia secondary to structural heart disease further precipitated by hypocalcaemia was made. Further hospital stay did not reveal a recurrence of prolonged QT interval or other arrhythmias except for an episode of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia. However, the patient suffered diffuse hypoxic brain encephalopathy secondary to prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation. BACKGROUND

SUMMARYA 46-year-old man presented to our hospital with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Previous records revealed a history of recurrent non-STEMI, stroke and transient ischaemic attacks. He was thoroughly investigated with coronary angiography, a cerebral CT angiography, thrombophilia panel and autoimmune screening tests, all of which proved negative. His current episode of STEMI resulted while on dual antiplatelet therapy; the patient was investigated for P2Y12 receptor resistance, which was also negative. A diagnosis of idiopathic recurrent arterial thrombosis was established and the patient was discharged home on aspirin and warfarin. Routine follow-up has revealed no recurrence of symptoms. BACKGROUND