Prevalence and characteristics of coronary-cameral communications in adult patients: coronary angiographic analysis of 16,573 patients.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the coronary angiograms of patients with symptomatic heart disease in order to determine the frequency and characteristics of coronary-cameral communications (CCCs) in a single center.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

The coronary angiograms of 16,573 patients with symptomatic heart disease performed from November 2001 to January 2011 were analyzed. The diagnosis of coronary fistula and coronary-cameral microcommunications (CCMCs) was made according to previously defined criteria.

RESULTS

Of the 16,573 patients, 15 (0.09%; 8 males and 7 females, mean age 63 ± 12 years) had CCCs, while coronary fistulas were identified in 2 (0.01%). In the first patient, the coronary fistula arose from the branches of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery and the right coronary artery (RCA) and drained into the right ventricle. In the second patient, the fistula originated from branches of the LAD artery, the circumflex (Cx) artery and the RCA and drained into the left ventricle. In 7 patients, the CCMCs originated from the LAD artery. In 3 patients, the Cx artery was the origin. The CCMCs originated from the RCA in 2 patients. In 1 patient the CCMC took its origin from the RCA and the Cx artery, while in 2 patients the CCMCs were associated with intracardiac masses in the left atrium and the right atrium, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of CCCs in adult patients was low and that of large coronary fistulas was even lower; coronary fistulas are probably very rare in adult patients because the majority of them are detected and treated during childhood.