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Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine Volume 83 October 1990

An unusual left ventricular mass

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ClSd 11' N 1988 7

P V Rao MB FRCS' J B Roussak mA FCe M J Hershman MS FRCS3 G E Venn meS4 K M Taylor MD FRCS2 1Departmnt of Cardiac Surgery, Harefield Hospital, Middlesex; 2Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Hammersmith fospital, Du Cane Road, London W12; ,Depar,ment of Surgery, Central Middlesex HospU64 Acton Lane, London NW1O, 4Department of Cprdiothoracic Surgery, St Thomas's Hospit;4 Lambeth Ro London SEl

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Keywords: left ventricular thrombus; myoardial infiuon; myxoma Dressler's syndrome

FIgure 2. Operatie photograph showing the mans pruding through the mital orifice

An elderly patient presented with symptoms, signs and investigations suggestive of a left ventricular myxoma. At operation, the mass proved to be a pedunculated left ventricular thrombus. T-his unusual presentation of intracavity thrombus is emphsized.

Case report A previously healthy 71-year-old woman presented with a 2-month history of pyrexia, anorexia, nausea and two episodes of syncope. Clinical examination was normal. Laboratory investigations revealed an erythrocyte sedimentation rate of 80 mm in the first hour and C-reactive protein of 212 mg/l (normal