Early neonatal death and congenital left coronary abnormalities: ostial atresia, stenosis and anomalous aortic origin.

BACKGROUND

Congenital left coronary artery abnormalities such as ostial stenosis or atresia are extremely rare. Diagnosis in the neonate has not been reported.

AIMS

To describe five neonates with left coronary artery orifice abnormalities and discuss pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment options, with a focus on the importance of autopsy in unexpected neonatal death.

METHODS

Retrospective assessment of medical files of neonates with left coronary abnormalities seen during a 12-year period (2000-2012).

RESULTS

Three neonates with anatomical (n=2) and functional (n=1) left coronary stenosis and two neonates with ostial atresia were identified. The three infants with coronary stenosis died within minutes to days after birth because of cardiac failure refractory to intensive care treatment; at autopsy, left coronary ostial stenosis (n=2) and high take-off with acute angle origin and tangential vertical course (n=1) were diagnosed. The fourth neonate was in cardiac failure due to critical aortic stenosis; left coronary ostial atresia was diagnosed during an emergency catheter procedure and the infant died after aortic valve dilatation. The fifth infant had a cardiac arrest on the third day of life; she was diagnosed with left coronary ostial atresia by coronary angiography and died during attempted revascularization surgery at 2 weeks of life.

CONCLUSION

Congenital coronary ostial abnormalities can lead to severe heart failure and unexpected neonatal death. Systematic examination of the coronary arteries should be part of any neonatal autopsy. Coronary angiography remains the diagnostic method of choice despite advances in non-invasive imaging. Revascularization surgery seems indicated in symptomatic children based on small patient series.