Myocardial Infarction Caused by a Fistula between the Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery and the Left Ventricle

Herein, we describe the case of a 50-year-old man who had a fistula, located between the left anterior descending coronary artery and the left ventricle, that caused myocardial infarction. Electrocardiography revealed a loss of R-wave progression in leads V₁ through V₄, and transthoracic echocardiography showed an apical aneurysm. Selective coronary angiography was performed. Dimensions of the left anterior descending coronary artery, and digital caliper measurements of stenosis within, were normal. After the injection of angiographic contrast material from the distal part of the left anterior descending coronary artery, a smoky, opaque accumulation colored the left ventricle. The digital caliper measurement of the left anterior descending coronary artery was again found to be normal. In the apex of the left ventricle, ventriculography in the left anterior oblique position revealed a small aneurysm, and a myocardial perfusion scan showed a fixed perfusion defect.Cases of coronary fistulae that result in myocardial infarction are rare. Because the patient had no ongoing symptoms after his myocardial infarction, medical therapy was prescribed.Key words: Angina pectoris/etiology, arterio-arterial fistulas/complications/congenital/diagnosis/radiography, coronary angiography, coronary vessel anomalies/complications/diagnosis/epidemiology/radiography, fistula/complications/congenital, heart ventricles/abnormalities/physiology, myocardial infarction/etiology, vascular fistula/complications/diagnosis/therapyCoronary artery fistula is a very rare cause of coronary artery disease, and it rarely causes coronary ischemia. Most affected patients are asymptomatic. Morphologically, coronary fistulae vary greatly, and they manifest themselves in widely differing clinical presentations; most often, respiratory difficulty and congestive heart failure accompany coronary fistulae. Investigators have reported that coronary artery fistulae can lead to symptoms of angina pectoris.^1–4 More rarely, fistulae can precipitate myocardial infarction.^1,2,4 Here, we present the case of a man in whom a coronary artery fistula caused myocardial infarction. We discuss coronary fistulae in general, and describe the treatment decided upon for our patient.     

急性心肌梗死早期血钾浓度与冠状动脉造影相关罪犯血管及室性心律失常的关系

目的 探讨急性心肌梗死患者早期血钾浓度与冠状动脉造影相关罪犯血管及室性心律失常的关系.方法 选择136例符合“急性心肌梗死诊断标准”,且发病时间＜12 h的患者.入院后立即采静脉血3ml,测血钾浓度,做18导联心电图.患者均同意做急诊介入治疗,给予冠状动脉造影,确定急性心肌梗死的罪犯血管.观察急性心肌梗死患者早期血钾浓度与冠状动脉造影确定罪犯血管及室性心律失常的关系,并进行统计学分析.结果 急性心肌梗死罪犯血管为左前降支的血钾浓度最低,左回旋支血钾浓度最高,右冠状动脉的血钾浓度位于左前降支及左回旋支之间.左前降支病变与左回旋支病变血钾浓度对比差异有统计学意义（P＜0.01）.右冠状动脉病变与左回旋支病变血钾浓度对比差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）.急性心肌梗死低血钾组与正常血钾组室性心律失常发生率对比差异有统计学意义（P＜0.01）.结论 急性心肌梗死患者,罪犯血管是左前降支的发病早期最容易合并低血钾,预后普遍较差.急性心肌梗死早期合并低血钾易发生室性心律失常.     

Multiple coronary thrombosis in a patient with thrombocytosis

A 59-year-old woman was admitted with acute inferior myocardial infarction. Cardiac catheterization revealed total occlusion in the right coronary artery and thrombus-like filling defect in the left anterior descending coronary artery. With simultaneous intracoronary urokinase infusion to the right and left coronary arteries, the right coronary artery became patent and the thrombus in the left anterior descending coronary artery was released to the distal coronary artery. Thrombocytosis was disclosed by laboratory examination. The relationship between myocardial infarction and thrombocytosis is discussed.     

Reappraisal of the functional significance of the coronary collateral circulation.

A review of data in 465 patients with complete obstruction of either the left anterior descending or right coronary artery was undertaken to evaluate the functional role of the collateral circulation. Complete obstruction of a dominant right coronary artery was observed in 288 patients, 83 percent with distal filling and visualization of the posterior descending artery by way of collateral vessels. Complete obstruction of the left anterior descending artery was noted in 177 patients, 71 percent with filling and visualization distal to the obstruction by way of collateral vessels. Among patients with obstruction of the left anterior descending artery, there was a significantly greater frequency of congestive heart failure and cardiomegaly in those without collateral vessels than in those with collateral vessels. The former also had a significantly greater frequency of both electrocardiographic evidence of an anterior wall myocardial infarction and angiographic findings of anterior wall asynergy. The frequency of inferior myocardial infarction and inferior wall asynergy was not influenced by the presence of collateral vessels. These observations indicate that the collateral circulation plays a significant protective role in the presence of obstruction of the left anterior descending artery, which is not apparent with obstruction of the right coronary artery.     

急性心肌梗死患者Ⅲ度房室传导阻滞与房室结动脉血供的关联性

目的 观察和分析急性心肌梗死(AMI)患者Ⅲ度房室传导阻滞(AVB)与房室结动脉血供的关系。方法 将入选的AMI患者,按是否并发Ⅲ度AVB分为两组:病例组为AMI并发Ⅲ度AVB的患者（n=35例）,对照组为AMI未并发Ⅲ度AVB的患者（n=215例）,通过观察梗死相关动脉并分析房室结动脉血供来源情况,分析AMI患者不同房室结动脉血供来源发生Ⅲ度AVB的几率,并观察AMI并发Ⅲ度AVB的患者,房室结动脉血运改善后Ⅲ度AVB恢复时间。结果 房室结动脉血供来源于右冠状动脉的右上降支动脉和回旋支的kugel’s动脉之一或二者双重血供。病例组患者,其房室结动脉血供仅来源于右冠状动脉的右上降支或回旋支的kugel’s动脉,无前降支来源,并且右冠状动脉较回旋支多见（P<0.01）。当梗死相关动脉得到再灌注,恢复血运后,AVB均恢复到窦性心律。结论 急性心肌梗死Ⅲ度AVB发生患者与其房室结动脉血供中断有关,恢复房室结动脉血供后AVB恢复窦性心律。     

Mechanism of anterior ST segment depression during acute inferior myocardial infarction. Observations during coronary thrombolysis

Anterior ST segment depression, found in 13 of 17 patients with acute inferior myocardial infarctions, resolved promptly in all 11 patients whose occluded right coronary arteries were opened with an infusion of streptokinase. Failure of streptokinase to open the artery produced no change in the electrocardiogram. Five of the patients with anterior ST segment depression had normal left anterior descending coronary arteries. In the other patients opening the right coronary artery normalized the anterior ST segments without resulting in collateral flow to the anterior wall, or changing blood pressure or heart rate. Anterior ST depression was a manifestation of the inferior infarction and was not due to anterior ischemia.     

Concomittant ST elevation in inferior and anterior leads in acute myocardial infarction. Clinical and anatomical significance

Various instances of acute myocardial infarction that may cause concomittant ST-segment elevation in inferior and anterior leads are presented. Among the situations that produce this phenomenon are: (1) multivessel coronary artery disease or isolated disease of a dominant left anterior descending artery causing combined inferior and anterior myocardial infarction; and (2) isolated disease of a right coronary artery causing combined infarction, or isolated right ventricular myocardial infarction. The mechanisms responsible for the electrocardiographic patterns in each instance are discussed.     

Use of 2 internal mammary arteries in coronary bypass. Combination with a bypass using the gastroepiploic artery in 2 cases

Coronary revascularisation by bilateral internal mammary artery grafting was performed in 39 patients. The left internal mammary was anastomosed to the left anterior descending (N = 22), the left lateral (N = 12) or diagonal artery (N = 5). The right internal mammary was implanted on the right coronary (N = 17), the left anterior descending (N = 16), the left lateral (N = 3) or diagonal artery (N = 3). In two cases, the inferior myocardial segments were revascularised by grafting the gastroepiploic artery. Three patients died and one patient had signs of postoperative myocardial infarction. Respiratory complications, usually mild, occurred in 5 patients. Bilateral internal mammary artery grafting should be reserved for: 1) young patients, 2) those without usable leg veins (varicose veins, previous stripping or coronary bypass surgery). The gastroepiploic artery is a useful arterial graft for revascularizing regions of the heart inaccessible to the internal mammary arteries.     

Usefulness of ST-segment elevation in the inferior leads in predicting ventricular septal rupture in patients with anterior wall acute myocardial infarction

The ventricular septum receives its blood supply from the septal perforators of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery and the right coronary artery. However, when the LAD artery extends to the inferior wall, beyond the apex (so-called wrapped LAD), the ventricular septum near the apex receives blood supply only from the LAD artery. As a consequence, ventricular septal rupture (VSR) would seem more likely in myocardial infarction with occlusion of this type of LAD artery. To test this hypothesis, we compared electrocardiographic findings in 21 patients who had anterior acute myocardial infarction that was complicated by VSR with those in 275 patients who had acute myocardial infarction that was not complicated by VSR. We observed ST-segment elevation in all inferior leads (II, III, and aVF) in addition to anterior leads in 42.9% of patients (9 of 21) who had VSR but in only 3.6% of those (10 of 275) who did not have VSR. Abnormal Q waves appeared in all 3 inferior leads in 44.4% of patients (8 of 18) who had VSR but in only 4.0% of those (10 of 250) who did not have VSR. Thus, the incidence of ST-segment elevation and abnormal Q waves in the inferior leads was significantly (p <0.001) greater in the VSR group. In addition, multivariate analysis of patient characteristics, including advanced age, female gender, and coronary morphology, showed VSR to be significantly correlated with ST-segment elevation (odds ratio 16.93, 95% confidence interval 4.13 to 69.30) and abnormal Q waves (odds ratio 13.64, 95% confidence interval 3.16 to 58.79) in the 3 inferior leads. In conclusion, these electrocardiographic findings can be useful predictors of complication by VSR.     

Multiple coronary artery thrombosis in a 41-year-old male patient presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Simultaneous occlusion of multiple epicardial coronary arteries is an uncommon finding in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We describe a 41- year-old male Asian patient who presented with inferior and anterior STEMI complicated by cardiogenic shock and frequent life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. The patient was subsequently found to have acute occlusion of the proximal right coronary artery (RCA) and proximal left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). The patient was treated with primary percutaneous coronary interventions for RCA and LAD, and intra-aortic balloon pump placement showed excellent results. Based on the available literature, early PCI for this very rare condition is paramount for patient survival.     

Stress thallium-201 myocardial scintigraphy for the detection of individual coronary arterial lesions in patients with and without previous myocardial infarction

The value of stress thallium-201 scintigraphy for detecting Individual coronary arterial stenoses was analyzed in 141 patients with angio-graphically proved coronary artery disease, 101 with and 40 without a previous myocardial infarction. In patients without infarction, the sensitivity for detecting greater than 50 percent narrowing in the left anterior descending, the right and the left circumflex coronary artery was 66, 53 and 24 percent, respectively. In those with a previous infarction, the sensitivity for demonstrating disease in the artery corresponding to the site of Infarction was 100 percent for the left anterior descending, 79 percent for the right and 63 percent for the left circumflex coronary artery. In patients with a prior anterior infarction, concomitant right or left circumflex coronary arterial lesions were detected in only 1 of 12 cases, whereas in those with previous inferior or inferolateral infarction, the sensitivity for left anterior descending coronary artery disease was 69 percent. Because of the reasonably high sensitivity for detecting left anterior descending arterial disease, Irrespective of the presence and location of previous infarction, myocardial scintigraphy was useful in identifying multivessel disease in patients with a previous inferior infarction. However, because of its relative insensitivity for right or left circumflex coronary artery disease, scintigraphy proved to be a poor predictor of multivessel disease in patients with a prior anterior infarction and in patients without previous myocardial infarction.     

Conduction disturbances and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation during acute inferior myocardial infarction

Associated symptoms and conduction disturbances are reported during acute inferior myocardial infarction. Differentiation of right coronary artery from left circumflex artery occlusion may be difficult since both can present an electrocardiographic pattern of inferior myocardial infarction. Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is considered a frequent complication of acute myocardial infarction and the patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation probably should be targeted for earlier and more aggressive treatment. These patients in the thrombolytic era have a better overall outcome than counterparts in the prethrombolytic era. We describe a case of conduction disturbances and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in a 51-year-old Italian man with acute inferior myocardial infarction and right coronary artery stenosis.     

急性心肌梗死对应导联ST段变化与冠状动脉病变的关系

目的 用冠状动脉造影技术研究急性心肌梗死(AMI)对应导联ST段变化与冠状动脉病变的关系。方法136例急性心肌梗死共分五组:①组,前壁梗死(V1-6)伴有Ⅱ,Ⅲ,aVF导联ST段下移。②组,下壁梗死(Ⅱ,Ⅲ,aVF)同时伴有V1-6导联ST段下移。③组,下壁梗死(Ⅱ,Ⅲ,aVF)同时伴有I,aVL导联ST段下移。④组,前壁梗死(V1-6)未伴有其它导联的ST段变化。⑤组,下壁梗死(Ⅱ,Ⅲ,aVF)未伴有其它导联的ST段变化。所有患者均进行冠状动脉造影。结果 前壁心肌梗死伴有Ⅱ,Ⅲ,aVF导联ST段下移25例中有88%为左冠状动脉前降支病变,其中90.9%为左冠状动脉近端病变。前壁心肌梗死未伴有Ⅱ,Ⅲ,aVF导联ST段下移的36例患者中有94.4%为左冠状动脉前降支病变,两者统计无显著性差异。在下壁心肌梗死伴有V1-6导联ST段下移组22例中有81.8%为右冠状动脉病变,但同时伴有前降支病变的却有77.3%,其中单支病变仅18.2%。下壁心肌梗死未伴有V1-6导联ST段下移34例有91.2%为右冠状动脉病变,但同时伴有前降支病变的仅有32.4%,其中单支病变达52.9%。两组统计分别为P<0.001和P相似文献   

Site of myocardial infarction. A determinant of the cardiovascular changes induced in the cat by coronary occlusion.

The influence of site of acute myocardial infarction on heart rate, blood pressure, cardiac output, total peripheral resistance (TPR), cardiac rhythm, and mortality was determined in 58 anesthetized cats by occlusion of either the left anterior descending (LAD), left circumflex or right coronary artery. LAD occlusion resulted in immediate decrease in cardiac output, heart rate, and blood pressure, an increase in TPR, and cardiac rhythm changes including premature ventricular beats, ventricular tachycardia, and occasionally ventricular fibrillation. The decrease in cardiac output and increase in TPR persisted in the cats surviving a ventricular arrhythmia. In contrast, right coronary occlusion resulted in a considerably smaller decrease in cardiac output. TPR did not increase, atrioventricular condition disturbances were common, and sinus bradycardia and hypotension persisted in the cats recovering from an arrhythmia. Left circumflex ligation resulted in cardiovascular changes intermediate between those produced by occlusion of the LAD or the right coronary artery. Mortality was similar in each of the three groups. We studied the coronary artery anatomy in 12 cats. In 10, the blood supply to the sinus node was from the right coronary artery and in 2, from the left circumflex coronary artery. The atrioventricular node artery arose from the right in 9 cats, and from the left circumflex in 3. The right coronary artery was dominant in 9 cats and the left in 3. In conclusion, the site of experimental coronary occlusion in cats is a major determinant of the hemodynamic and cardiac rhythm changes occurring after acute myocardial infarction. The cardiovascular responses evoked by ligation are related in part to the anatomical distribution of the occluded artery.     

Acute myocardial infarction in a patient with chronic myelocytic leukemia during chemotherapy with hydroxyurea

Background

Cardiac toxicity is a known side effect of chemotherapeutics such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or cisplatin. Chest pain with ECG changes, arrhythmias, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure and sudden death have been described in the literature.

Case study

We report the first case of AMI in a 59-year-old male patient with chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) during chemotherapy with hydroxyurea. The patient was not affected by prior heart disease and did not reveal any classic risk factors for coronary heart disease. Because of the severe thrombocytopenia (23000/μl), no acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) or clopidogrel were given but low dose heparin (400 U/h). Urgent coronary angiography revealed complete thrombotic occlusion of the proximal left descending coronary artery.

Conclusion

This case reveals that AMI can occur during chemotherapy with hydroxyurea in patients without prior heart disease. The pathogenesis of this phenomenon remains hitherto unclear. Coronary artery spasm, lesions of the endothelium as well as coagulation disorders have been postulated to explain this side effect of hydroxyurea.     

Predicting the culprit artery in acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction and introducing a new algorithm to predict infarct-related artery in inferior ST-elevation myocardial infarction: correlation with coronary anatomy in the HAAMU Trial

Aims

The objective of this study is to predict the culprit artery from the electrocardiogram (ECG) by predefined criteria and to compare a new algorithm with a previous one for predicting the culprit artery in inferior ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods and Results

In “all-comers” (n = 187) with acute STEMI, with ECG and angiography from the acute phase, the positive and negative predictive values for the prediction of the left anterior descending coronary artery, left circumflex coronary artery, or right coronary artery as the infarct-related artery were 96% and 96%, 65% and 95%, 92% and 97%, respectively. In inferior STEMI (n = 98), positive and negative predictive values to predict the right coronary artery or the left circumflex coronary artery as the culprit artery were 92% and 75% and 75% and 94%, respectively.

Conclusions

In “all-comers” with STEMI, the culprit artery could be predicted by ECG criteria with high predictive values. In inferior STEMI, a new algorithm for culprit artery prediction was successfully tested.     

Early occlusion and late stricture of normal coronary arteries following blunt chest trauma

A 27-year-old man had inferior myocardial infarction following superficial chest trauma. Coronary arteriography documented an isolated total occlusion of the right coronary artery, probably caused by localized extra-coronary compression, and no other evidence of intrinsic coronary disease. The left anterior descending artery later developed a localized proximal stenosis, most likely due to mural thrombus, which progressed rapidly to cause anterior myocardial infarction despite coronary artery surgery. The etiology of this lesion is discussed and support given to the "encrustation" hypothesis of human atherosclerosis. Exercise thallium scintigraphy proved helpful in the management of this case.     

急性下壁心肌梗死侧壁导联心电图“镜像”改变对梗死相关动脉的预测价值

目的　分析急性下壁心肌梗死侧壁导联 (I、AVL)心电图呈“镜像”改变对梗死相关动脉的预测价值。方法　根据 86例急性下壁心肌梗死患者侧壁导联心电图有无“镜像”改变 ,对比其与冠状动脉造影显示梗死相关动脉的关系。结果　I,AVL导联出现“镜像”改变对判断急性下壁心肌梗死梗死相关动脉为右冠状动脉的敏感性分别为 6 3.0 %和94 .5 % (P <0 .0 5 ) ,特异性分别为 76 .9%和 6 1.5 % (P <0 .0 5 )。AVL导联无“镜像”改变对判断梗死相关动脉为左回旋支的阳性预测值为 6 6 .7% ,阴性预测值为 93.2 %。结论　急性下壁心肌梗死I和AVL导联呈“镜像”改变是判断梗死相关动脉为右冠状动脉的较敏感指标 ,尤以AVL导联更敏感。AVL导联无“镜像”改变是判断梗死相关动脉为左回旋支的较好指标。     

Primary coronary artery dissection: its incidence, mode of the onset and prognostic evaluation

The incidence, mode of the onset and prognosis of primary coronary artery dissection in 1,445 consecutive patients with myocardial infarction undergoing coronary angiography were elucidated in the present study. Primary coronary artery dissection was observed in four patients (0.28%). The first case was a 28-year-old man, who developed angina at rest, followed by inferior myocardial infarction. His coronary angiogram showed dual lumina in the proximal to distal segments of the right coronary artery, which were separated by a flap. A left ventriculogram showed severe impairment of contraction (akinesis) in its inferior segment. Six years later, he was classified as New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class I. The second case, a 54-year-old man, developed vasospastic angina followed by inferior myocardial infarction. His coronary angiogram showed a similar dissection from the proximal to distal segments of the right coronary artery. A left ventriculogram showed akinesis of the inferior segment and a coronary angiogram five years later showed marked resolution of the dissection. Twelve years after the infarction, he was classified as NYHA functional class I. The third case, a 46-year-old woman, experienced sudden onset of inferior myocardial infarction. Her coronary angiogram showed dissection from the middle to distal segments, and the posterior descending branch of the right coronary artery. A left ventriculogram showed akinesis of the inferior segment, and three years later, she was asymptomatic. The fourth case, a 28-year-old woman, developed anterior myocardial infarction following delivery. Her coronary angiogram revealed dissection from the proximal to middle segments of the left anterior descending artery. A left ventriculogram showed akinesis in the anteroseptal segment and dyskinesis in the apical segment. She died suddenly four years after her myocardial infarction. Thus, primary coronary artery dissection is not extremely rare and it may have been associated with coronary vasospasm in at least two of these four cases.     

Noninvasive assessment of left and right ventricular filling in myocardial infarction with a two-dimensional Doppler echocardiographic method

Inflow characteristics of left and right ventricular filling were assessed in 40 patients with myocardial infarction and in 10 normal subjects by pulsed Doppler echocardiography. Patients with myocardial infarction were subdivided into four groups, focusing on the involvement of right ventricular and septal branches of the coronary arteries. Group I consisted of 11 patients with anterior infarction who showed an obstructive lesion of the proximal left anterior descending branch involving the first septal perforator with a patent right coronary artery. Group II consisted of 10 patients with inferior infarction who showed an obstructive lesion of the proximal right coronary artery involving the right ventricular branch. Group III consisted of 12 patients with both anterior and inferior infarction who showed obstructive lesions of both the proximal left anterior descending branch and the right coronary artery involving the right ventricular branch. Group IV consisted of seven patients with lateral infarction who showed an obstructive lesion of the diagonal branch or branches of the circumflex coronary artery with a patent left anterior descending branch and right coronary artery. Three measurements were performed from the transmitral and transtricuspidal inflow velocity patterns to assess the left and right ventricular diastolic behaviors. These measurements were: acceleration half-time, deceleration half-time of early diastolic rapid inflow, and the ratio of the peak velocity of early diastolic rapid inflow to that of the late diastolic inflow due to the atrial contraction. Impaired diastolic filling of the left ventricle compensated by enhanced left atrial contraction was observed in patients with myocardial infarction from groups I, II, III and IV.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)