A 27-year-old asymptomatic woman was investigated for an abnormal finding in the cardiac contour on routine chest radiography. Echocardiography revealed a heterogeneous mass in the anterolateral left ventricular wall. Excision of the tumor disclosed an absence of communication between the residual cavity and the left ventricular endocardium. Histological features of the tumor indicated an intramural myxoma.

Acute cardiac tamponade is very common after penetrating injuries to the chest. However, delayed cardiac tamponade is a rare phenomenon that may appear several days after injury. This paper presents three cases of delayed cardiac tamponade diagnosed weeks after ice pick wounds to the back. These experiences and a review of the literature on the subject are discussed.

We discuss our early experience in 2 patients with a patch enlargement technique for treating chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation due to restricted motion of the posterior mitral leaflet. This technique corrects the restricted motion and offers better coaptation without compromising the mitral orifice.