Iatrogenic left main coronary artery stenosis following aortic valve replacement

A case of severe iatrogenic fibrous left main coronary arterystenosis following aortic valve replacement (Hall-Kaster prosthesis)is documented clinically, angiographically and histologically.Reported histological data of this rare complication of valvereplacement are reviewed. The onset of ischaemic symptoms inthe first six months after valve replacement is highly suggestiveof iatrogenic coronary artery stenosis, and urgent coronaryangiography is recommended.     

Iatrogenic left main coronary artery stenosis following PTCA or valve replacement

We report three patients who developed iatrogenic severe left main coronary artery stenosis. In two, it was secondary to coronary cannulation during aortic valve replacement and in one it followed distention of the artery during balloon dilatation of a proximal lesion in the left anterior descending artery. In all three, the stenosis was clinically manifest a few months after the intervention. All were successfully treated by aortosaphenous coronary bypass. A common mechanism for the three cases may be mechanical distention of the left main coronary artery resulting in intimal damage with secondary fibrosis and stenosis. The percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty-related stenosis is, to our knowledge, the first reported case of this nature, and represents a previously unrecognized complication of this procedure.     

Iatrogenic left main coronary artery stenosis after aortic and mitral valve replacement

A case of 48-year old patient, who developed anginal symptoms 3 months after aortic and mitral valves replacement was presented. The patient underwent coronary angiography, which revealed severe left main coronary stenosis. Successful surgery was done with grafting of left anterior descending and circumflex arteries. Opinions on etiology, diagnosis and management of this rare complication are discussed.     

Iatrogenic lesions of the left main coronary artery

Reoccurrence of ischemic events several months after a percutaneous transcutaneous coronary angioplasty is usually due to a restenosis. Coronary angiography rarely shows a new stenosis on another site or on the left main coronary artery. In this series, we report 5 cases of left main coronary artery stenosis which have occurred from 3 to 12 months after a prior percutaneous angioplasty. This phenomenon which has previously been described after direct cannulation of the coronaries ostia during aortic valve replacement in the 70'. This complication is related to intimal damage caused by traumatic manipulation of the left main, which can be either already minimally altered or normal. This complication is rare after percutaneous transcutaneous coronary angioplasty (0.2-1.7%) according to various series. We compare our cases to the published cases in the literature.     

Iatrogenic left main coronary artery thrombosis during percutaneous coronary intervention

During diagnostic angiographic procedures or percutaneous coronary angioplasty-stenting of the other coronary arteries, the overall risk for a complication related to the left main coronary artery (LMCA) is low; however, if such complications occur, they tend to be life-threatening and contribute to a large part of the total catheter-related mortality. We encountered a case of iatrogenic significant subtotal left main coronary artery thrombotic stenosis in a patient who had undergone prior percutaneous transluminal coronary artery angioplasty-stenting of the left circumflex artery. In light of the literature, an extremely rare clinical presentation of iatrogenic left main coronary artery thrombosis is discussed.     

Off-pump coronary revascularization for left main coronary artery stenosis

Experience of on- and off-pump coronary artery bypass in 379 patients with significant left main coronary artery stenosis was retrospectively reviewed. Beating-heart operations were performed on 219 patients between January 2001 and October 2007. Their results were compared with 160 who underwent revascularization under cardiopulmonary bypass during the same period. All patients had multivessel grafting via a median sternotomy. Both groups were comparable demographically. Off-pump patients received significantly fewer grafts per patient (3.21 +/- 0.86 vs 3.74 +/- 0.82). The use of moderate or high doses of inotropics (> 5 microg kg(-1) min(-1)) was more frequent in the on-pump group (44% vs 26%). Postoperative blood transfusion requirement was lower in off-pump patients, and fewer of them experienced worsening of preexisting renal insufficiency. There were 2 operative deaths in the on-pump group and 1 in the off-pump group. The off-pump procedure is safe and effective in patients with left main coronary artery disease.     

Radiation-induced stenosis of the left main coronary artery

Isolated left main coronary artery stenosis induced by mediastinal radiation is a well-documented but rare entity. Its clinical manifestations can be latent for many years, but its ominous sequela cannot be ignored. We report here such a patient presenting 16 yr postmediastinal radiation, the longest documented latency to date.     

Radiation-induced stenosis of the left main coronary artery

A case of isolated left main coronary artery stenosis ten years following irradiation of the mediastinum for Hodgkin's disease is presented. Aortic biopsies were consistent with changes suggestive of radiation arteritis.     

Stenting of unprotected left main coronary artery stenosis

Unprotected left main stenosis greater than 50% has traditionally been managed with coronary artery bypass surgery. There is now emerging evidence to support a percutaneous strategy adopting drug-eluting stents, especially in patients at high risk for surgery. This paper will review recent outcomes of both bare-metal and drug-eluting stent use for unprotected left main stenosis and summarise results of an Australian registry. Results of studies comparing the percutaneous approach to surgery will also be reviewed together with ESC and AHA/ACC current guidelines. Although percutaneous intervention of unprotected left main has been shown to be a safe and feasible procedure, unanswered questions remain. Large multi-centre randomised trials underway comparing percutaneous to surgical intervention will help clarify these ongoing issues.     

Progression of left main coronary artery stenosis following left anterior descending coronary artery angioplasty

Although recent clinical experience indicates a high success rate, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is still associated with serious complications which usually occur during or shortly after the procedure and are principally related to the lesion or segment of vessel being dilated. We report 2 cases of subacute progression within months of left main stenosis following successful, uncomplicated left anterior descending (LAD) coronary PTCA. Identification of left main trunk involvement may mandate earlier follow-up or intervention.     

Percutaneous coronary intervention for unprotected left main coronary artery stenosis

Hemodynamically significant left main coronary artery stenosis (LMCA) is found in around 4% of diagnostic coronary angiograms and is known as unprotected LMCA stenosis if the left coronary artery and left circumflex artery has no previous patent grafts. Previous randomized studies have demonstrated a significant reduction in mortality when revascularization by coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery was undertaken compared with medical treatment. Therefore, current practice guidelines do not recommend percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for such a lesion because of the proven benefit of surgery and high rates of restenosis with the use of bare metal stents. However, with the advent of drug-eluting stents (DES), the long term outcomes of PCI with DES to treat unprotected LMCA stenoses have been acceptable. Therefore, apart from the current guidelines, PCI for treatment of unprotected LMCA stenosis is often undertaken in individuals who are at a very high risk of CABG or refuse to undergo a sternotomy. Future randomized studies comparing CABG vs PCI using DES for treatment of unprotected LMCA stenosis would be a great advance in clinical knowledge for the adoption of appropriate treatment.     

Iatrogenic coronary artery stenosis following coronary stenting

We present 6-month follow-up of 435 patients undergoing stent deployment. Forty-four patients were referred because of myocardial ischemia related to the stented artery. In six of these patients (14%), the stented vessel revealed a new proximal lesion separated from the stented portion, which warranted further intervention. It is felt that these new lesions are related to the stenting technique as a result of local trauma induced from the guiding catheter. Cathet. Cardiovasc. Intervent. 46:393–397, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

孤立性左冠状动脉主干狭窄的诊治分析

目的分析孤立性左冠状动脉主干(左主干)狭窄的临床特点、造影所见和治疗方法.方法根据冠状动脉造影病变特点将129例左主干狭窄患者分为两组:孤立性左主干狭窄组7例;左主干合并一支或以上主要冠状动脉支狭窄组122例,对比分析两组间临床特点、造影所见和治疗方法.结果孤立性左冠状动脉主干狭窄的检出率为0.16%.6例表现为不稳定型心绞痛,1例为急性前壁心肌梗死.左主干狭窄部位:开口部4例,中部2例,叉口部1例.4例行外科手术,3例行冠状动脉支架术.与复合病变组相比较,孤立性左主干狭窄组女性的比例较高(57.1%vs20.5%,P<0.05),平均年龄较小[(52.3±5.1)岁vs(64.2±7.8)岁,P<0.001];开口部狭窄多见(57.1%vs17.2%,P<0.05).结论孤立性左冠状动脉主干狭窄以女性多见,以开口部狭窄多见,可选择外科和介入治疗.     

Clinical experience with left main coronary artery stenosis.

We report the clinical features and the results of investigation and surgery in 20 patients with significant left main coronary artery stenosis. All had moderate to severe angina; 8 had pain at rest. Three had dyspnoea as a major symptom. The electrocardiogram was abnormal in 17, with evidence of previous myocardial infarction in 10. Of the 11 patients exercised, 8 developed chest pain. Nine patients had a normal left ventriculogram. At coronary angiography all patients had major disease elsewhere in addition to the left main coronary artery stenosis. There were no deaths or major complications associated with this investigation. One patient was unsuitable for surgery because of diffuse left ventricular hypokinesia, one had a fatal myocardial infarction while awaiting operation, and there was one preoperative death. Sixteen of the 17 surgical survivors are free from angina. There has been a significant improvement in the maximum exercise capacity in the 10 patients who had pre- and postoperative exercise tests.     

Clinical experience with left main coronary artery stenosis.

We report the clinical features and the results of investigation and surgery in 20 patients with significant left main coronary artery stenosis. All had moderate to severe angina; 8 had pain at rest. Three had dyspnoea as a major symptom. The electrocardiogram was abnormal in 17, with evidence of previous myocardial infarction in 10. Of the 11 patients exercised, 8 developed chest pain. Nine patients had a normal left ventriculogram. At coronary angiography all patients had major disease elsewhere in addition to the left main coronary artery stenosis. There were no deaths or major complications associated with this investigation. One patient was unsuitable for surgery because of diffuse left ventricular hypokinesia, one had a fatal myocardial infarction while awaiting operation, and there was one preoperative death. Sixteen of the 17 surgical survivors are free from angina. There has been a significant improvement in the maximum exercise capacity in the 10 patients who had pre- and postoperative exercise tests.     

Patch angioplasty in isolated left main coronary artery stenosis

A 50 year old male with isolated left main coronary artery disease was surgically treated with saphenous vein patch angioplasty. Surgery results are reviewed by coronariography 2 months later and we comment its use as alternative technique in selected cases.     

Pericatheterization risk factors in left main coronary artery stenosis

Patients with left main (LM) coronary artery disease (CAD) have an unexplained high incidence of complications during diagnostic cardiac catheterization. This study identifies pericatheterization risk factors for major complications in patients with LM CAD (stenosis at least 50%). Complications were defined as ventricular fibrillation not related temporally to coronary injection, persistent angina, acute myocardial infarction, profound hypotension and death during or within 24 hours of catheterization. One hundred seven consecutive cases of LM CAD (11 with complications and 96 without) were reviewed with respect to variables potentially related to complications. Patients who had angina in the 24 hours before catheterization were at increased risk. Four of 13 patients with angina (31%) and 7 of 94 (7%) without angina had complications (p less than 0.05). Distance from the catheter tip to the lesion also was related to complications (9 of 38 [24%] with tip 6.0 mm or less from lesion and 2 of 65 [3%] with tip more than 6.0 mm from lesion, p less than 0.05). No relaxation was found between complications and New York Heart Association functional class, technique (femoral vs brachial), performance of ventriculography, number of coronary injections, amount of contrast injected, severity of LM stenosis, number of major arteries with 75% or more diameter stenosis, mean arterial pressure, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and left ventricular ejection fraction.