# Cardiac myxoma discovery behind chronic carotid occlusion in stroke

## TL;DR

A patient with a stroke had both a heart tumor and a blocked artery, leading to complex treatment and a second stroke.

## Contribution

This case highlights the challenges of managing multiple embolic sources in stroke patients.

## Key findings

- A cardiac myxoma and chronic carotid occlusion were identified as concurrent embolic sources.
- The patient had a subsequent stroke one month after myxoma resection.
- The case emphasizes the need for careful clinical decision-making in such complex scenarios.

## Abstract

A 57-year-old female smoker presented with a left-sided ischemic stroke, leading to the discovery of two concurrent potential embolic sources: a chronic left internal carotid artery occlusion and a left atrial myxoma. While cardiac myxomas are known sources of cerebral emboli, this case presented a unique management challenge due to the coexisting carotid pathology. Despite successful surgical resection of the myxoma, the patient experienced a subsequent stroke one month postoperatively. This case highlights the complex clinical decision-making required when managing patients with multiple potential sources of cerebral embolism.