One in a million: Maharashtra man detected with tumour in heart, walks normally after op

MUMBAI: Heart tumours are rare, with an incidence of less than one case per one million population. Dombivli resident Yogesh Mehta , 67, not only had a myxoma or benign heart tumour , but also had a blockage in one of the heart's main arteries.

"It is rare to find a right atrial myxoma and even more rare to have a concomitant coronary artery disease in the same patient," said cardiac surgeon Dr Bijoy Kutty, who performed an emergency surgery on Mehta to fix the twin problems.

Mehta, who used to manage a hardware business, had peculiar symptoms that never seemed like a "heart-related problem" to him. He experienced loose motions and weakness, prompting doctors to check his digestive system.

Even the most telling symptom - he would get breathless or pass out as soon as he lay down on the bed - was not interpreted as a heart problem. "These unique symptoms were missed by multiple doctors he consulted in the last two months," said Dr Kutty. In hindsight, the tumour grew to such an extent that it pressed down on his heart and blood vessels, thus affecting blood flow that resulted in dizzy spells. "When we removed the tumour, it was the size of a small orange," said the surgeon.

Mehta's wife, Trupti, said he had diabetes and hypertension for many years, but the family had no inkling about a heart problem until March 23 when he fell in the bathroom. "It took us some time to revive him," she said. His son, Paras, rushed him to the nearby Om Hospital, which referred him to the heart-specialty Icon Hospital in Dombivli.

Dr Kutty, who checked Mehta at Icon Hospital, found the tumour as well as the blockage in scans. "However, I requested the family to transfer him to our bigger sister hospital, Platinum Hospital in Mulund," said the doctor. On March 26, Mehta underwent cardiac surgery to remove both the tumour and the blockage in his left anterior descending artery. The operation lasted five hours, and doctors said the tumour would not recur. The main concern with heart tumours, whether benign or malignant, is the risk of embolization - say, a piece of the tumour breaks off and travels through the bloodstream, blocking an artery and causing a stroke or other complications.

Mehta, who has three sons, is grateful his "double heart problems" were sorted out. "I have got a second life," he said.

(Inputs from Malathy Iyer)