Vadher Abhishek, Malik Nikhale, Pannikottu Kurian, Kondur Ashok, Kambhatla Sujata
Internal Medicine, Garden City Hospital, Garden City, USA.
Cardiology, Garden City Hospital, Garden City, USA.
Cureus. 2024 Aug 5;16(8):e66230. doi: 10.7759/cureus.66230. eCollection 2024 Aug.
Congenital coronary artery anomalies are rare. The most common anomalous variation is Anomalous Left Circumflex Artery (ALCx) which is a congenital anomaly. ALCx usually originates from the right sinus of Valsalva or as a proximal branching of the Right Coronary Artery (RCA). The clinical presentation has a spectrum which varies from asymptomatic presentation to angina or myocardial infarction with no atherosclerotic lesion due to kinking/compression of the vessel to ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) due to atherosclerotic occlusion. A 45-year-old female with a past medical history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, type 2 diabetes, tobacco abuse, and a history of ischemic stroke, presented to the hospital due to chest pain. Electrocardiogram revealed inferior ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and the patient was taken to the catheterization lab. Angiography revealed 90% stenotic Left Circumflex Artery (LCx) which was anomalous, arising from the right coronary cusp, whereas other coronary arteries were diffusedly atherosclerotic. A drug-eluting stent was placed in the ALCx reducing the stenosis from 90% to 0% and the patient was discharged in a stable condition on dual antiplatelet therapy and statin with plans for possible coronary artery bypass graft due to multivessel disease (severe diffuse disease of LAD, 90% mid-RCA stenosis, 80% proximal RCA stenosis). The patient was eventually lost to follow-up. Typically, anomalous LCx originating from RCA is benign, but there are many cases where there is myocardial infarction or sudden cardiac death due to acute angle take-off at the origin site. This anatomical variation is more important during cardiac surgeries because during valve replacement surgeries, there are cases of ALCx compression resulting in myocardial infarction. Our patient developed STEMI secondary to atherosclerotic stenosis in anomalous LCx. Based on her diffuse atherosclerotic disease and risk factors, it is likely that her anomalous anatomy did not cause her atherosclerotic disease. Overall, clinicians should remain vigilant for these anatomic abnormalities in their practice.
先天性冠状动脉异常较为罕见。最常见的异常变异是异常左旋支动脉(ALCx),这是一种先天性异常。ALCx通常起源于主动脉窦右窦或作为右冠状动脉(RCA)的近端分支。其临床表现多样,从无症状表现到心绞痛或心肌梗死,后者可能是由于血管扭结/受压而无动脉粥样硬化病变,也可能是由于动脉粥样硬化闭塞导致ST段抬高型心肌梗死(STEMI)。一名45岁女性,有高血压、高脂血症、2型糖尿病、吸烟史及缺血性中风病史,因胸痛入院。心电图显示下壁ST段抬高型心肌梗死(STEMI),患者被送往导管室。血管造影显示左旋支动脉(LCx)狭窄90%,且位置异常,起源于右冠状动脉瓣叶,而其他冠状动脉弥漫性动脉粥样硬化。在异常左旋支动脉(ALCx)置入药物洗脱支架,将狭窄率从90%降至0%,患者在双联抗血小板治疗和他汀类药物治疗下病情稳定出院,因多支血管病变(左前降支严重弥漫性病变、右冠状动脉中段狭窄90%、右冠状动脉近端狭窄80%)计划可能进行冠状动脉搭桥术。该患者最终失访。通常,起源于右冠状动脉的异常左旋支动脉是良性的,但有许多病例因起源部位锐角发出导致心肌梗死或心源性猝死。这种解剖变异在心脏手术中更为重要,因为在瓣膜置换手术中,有异常左旋支动脉(ALCx)受压导致心肌梗死的病例。我们的患者因异常左旋支动脉(ALCx)动脉粥样硬化狭窄继发STEMI。基于她的弥漫性动脉粥样硬化疾病和危险因素,很可能她的异常解剖结构并未导致其动脉粥样硬化疾病。总体而言,临床医生在实践中应警惕这些解剖异常情况。