Atrial myxoma producing a saddle embolus in a child

Atrial myxomata are rare in childhood. A case is described in a boy aged 7 years. The presenting feature was a saddle embolus, requiring immediate surgical intervention. Further investigations showed that a large part of the myxoma remained in the atrium; this portion was successfully removed. This mode of presentation is unusual. The presence of calcification within the myxoma was detectable on intensifier screen examination. The biochemical abnormalities frequently asso-ciated with myxomata were not found. The importance of recognizing a myxoma as the cause of a saddle embolus in an otherwise healthy child is emphasized and a number of unusual features of the present case are described. CASE REPOR