Left atrial myxoma as a rare cause of acute hemiplegia in an 8-year-old child

Abstract

Objective: Myxomas are uncommon in the pediatric age group. However, acute cerebral infarcts in children are most often secondary to a myxoma. Early diagnosis is essential in such cases to prevent further such episodes, thereby decreasing the risk of permanent neurological deficits. In the pediatric age group, a high index of suspicion is required to diagnose such rare causes. Most myxomas are benign in nature, and hence surgery can offer complete curative resection and also help avoiding further incidents of cerebrovascular accidents (CVA). Here, we present an interesting case of an 8-year-old female child who presented with acute right-sided hemiplegia and was incidentally detected with a left atrial myxoma. Case presentation: An 8-year-old female presented to the emergency department with the complaint of loss of consciousness for 1 hour. There was no preceding history of trauma and no associated seizures.Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of brain revealed an acute thalamic infarct and 2D echocardiography showed a mass lesion in the left atrium. Mass was excised, and histopathology confirmed it as a benign myxoma. Conclusion: Myxomas are a rare cause of CVA in children, making the diagnosis challenging. A high index of suspicion with a multidisciplinary approach is necessary for early diagnosis and appropriate management of such cases.