A case report: cardiac dysphagia-a ghost of the past?

Dysphagia due to a GLA is rare. Various diagnostic criteria exist and the prevalence thus depends on which criterium is used. It is mostly encountered in rheumatic mitral disease, although there are reports of non-rheumatic aetiology. When the left atrium assumes giant proportions it can compress adjacent intrathoracic structures. Compression of the oesophagus can lead to dysphagia, as in our case. A TOE in these cases is relatively contraindicated and should only be performed if there is considerable reason to believe that it may change patient management.