Origin and length of left main coronary artery: Its relation to height,weight, sex,age, pattern of coronary distribution,and presence or absence of coronary artery disease

The distance from the base of the left coronary sinus to the origin of the left main coronary artery was measured in 54 patients. The length of the left main coronary artery and the pattern of arterial dominance were determined in the last 37 patients. These variables were correlated with height, weight, age, sex, and presence or absence of coronary artery disease. Average distance from the base of the left coronary sinus to the origin of the left main coronary artery was 19.4 ± 2.7 mm. Average length of the left main coronary artery was 9.7 ± 4.3 mm. There was a large inherent variability between distance from the base of left coronary sinus to the origin of the left main coronary artery and height of the subjects. Other variables did not show positive correlation. Similar large variability was noticed between length of the left main coronary artery and height of the subjects. Thus, from these observations it was not possible to predict the distance from the base of the left coronary sinus to the origin of the left main coronary artery or the length of the left main coronary artery using height or any other variable. The importance of these findings in relation to coronary angiography is discussed.     

冠状动脉起源异常的冠状动脉造影分析

目的探讨冠状动脉起源异常(anomalous origin of coronary artery,AOCA)的冠状动脉造影特征及其临床意义。方法2000年10月~2006年12月在我院行冠状动脉造影的患者1560例,检出有AOCA患者29例,并对其临床资料进行回顾性分析。结果29例AOCA患者检出率为1.9%,其中23例(79.3%)为良性AOCA,包括:前降支和回旋支分别开口于左冠窦15例,回旋支起源于右冠窦3例,右冠状动脉起源于无冠窦1例和高位开口于升主动脉4例;6例(20.7%)为有潜在临床危险AOCA,分别为左主干起源于右冠窦1例,单支左冠状动脉2例,右冠状动脉起源于左冠窦3例。起源异常冠状动脉有明显狭窄患者9例(31.0%),但仅2例为狭窄只累及起源异常动脉。结论AOCA无特征性临床表现,通常在冠状动脉造影时被发现;某些类型有导致严重心脏事件的潜在危险。AOCA与冠状动脉狭窄无相关性。     

Coronary arteries from a single coronary ostium in the right coronary sinus: a previously unreported anatomy

The coronary circulation originating from a single coronary ostium is rare. All possible anatomical variations were the basis of a recent classification. This case report describes a previously unreported IID(1) pattern, comprising a solitary coronary ostium in the right coronary sinus with an anatomical course of the right coronary artery. The left circumflex coronary artery arises from the proximal right coronary artery coursing behind the aorta to the left. The left anterior descending coronary artery arises from the proximal right coronary artery coursing to the left side anterior to the right ventricle.     

Anomalous right coronary artery arising from left mainstem

Various coronary artery anomalies occur in both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. We have described a unique case of an aberrant right coronary artery arising from the left mainstem, resulting in clinical myocardial infarction in the absence of coronary atherosclerosis. Though different anomalies of the right coronary artery have been described, we feel this case is unique in that the right coronary artery arises from the left mainstem, truly forming a single coronary artery.     

Coronary artery-left ventricular communications: A report of two cases and review of the literature

Two patients with chest pain had angiographically-demonstrated communications between the three coronary arteries and the left ventricular chamber. Communications between coronary arteries and the left ventricle are unusual and communications between all three coronary arteries and the left ventricle are rare. These anomalies are, however, commonly associated with symptoms of chest pain. The presence of left ventricular hypertrophy and a widened pulse pressure may suggest a greater hemo-dynamic effect of the shunt flow than often suspected angiographically.     

Survival with total occlusion of the left main coronary artery. Significance of the collateral circulation

Four patients with total occlusion of the left main coronary artery are described. Angina pectoris was severe (NYHA class 3-4) and had lasted 20 months to seven years. Three patients had experienced a myocardial infarction. All displayed large collaterals arising from a nearly normal right coronary artery and feeding both the left anterior descending and the left circumflex arteries. The left ventricular ejection fractions ranged from 20% to 65%, and all patients had varying degrees of left ventricular asynergy. Coronary artery bypass surgery resulted in a marked improvement in three patients; one patient who underwent an aneurysmectomy died two months after the operation. The data show that total occlusion of the left main coronary artery is compatible with survival if adequate collateral supply develops from the right coronary artery. In this rare angiographic subset collateral circulation is clearly functionally significant.     

冠状动脉左主干病变介入治疗

冠状动脉左主干病变的介入治疗具有挑战性。现从冠状动脉左主干的解剖特点、冠状动脉左主干病变的病因形成、左主干病变的诊断、左主干病变的治疗、左主干病变支架术的适应证和禁忌证、器械选择、治疗策略等进行了详细的阐述。对于存在冠脉旁路移植术禁忌证、拒绝外科治疗或经严格选择的左心功能正常的无保护左主干病变的病人,冠脉支架置入术是一种较理想的治疗方法。     

冠状动脉左主干病变的治疗策略

冠状动脉(冠脉)左主干病变首选冠脉搭桥手术(CABG),尽可能选择不停跳CABG。急诊CABG风险较高,手术适应证①严重的左主干病变(>75%),尤其"无保护"左主干病变;②左主干病变>50%,并(或)有3支病变,出现严重的危及生命的室性心律失常;③左主干病变伴有急性冠脉综合征。     

药物洗脱支架年代无保护左主干病变血运重建策略的选择

冠状动脉旁路移植术一直被认为是治疗无保护左主干病变的金标准.近年来,由于经皮冠状动脉介入治疗技术及器械的迅速发展,特别是药物洗脱支架的广泛应用,使冠状动脉介入治疗术后由再狭窄导致的再次靶病变血运重建率明显降低,经皮冠状动脉介入治疗无保护左主干病变研究以及和冠状动脉旁路移植术疗效对比研究越来越多,并且显示药物洗脱支架对无保护左主干病变有良好的疗效,其安全性与冠状动脉旁路移植术相似,甚至在某些方面具有优势.现就近年来冠状动脉旁路移植术和冠状动脉介入治疗无保护左主干病变的研究进展做一综述,探讨在药物洗脱支架年代无保护左主干病变治疗策略的选择.     

Coronary anomalies: Incidence and importance

Most patients with coronary anomalies are asymptomatic. The knowledge of those variations could be important in regard to invasive catheter treatment or bypass surgery. In a retrospective study, the angiographic findings based on 4, 016 patients (1985-1989) were analyzed concerning coronary anomalies and malformations. Of the patients studied, 39 (0.97%) had coronary anomalies, and in 26 of these patients it was an anomalous circumflex branch. In 14 cases, the circumflex branch arose from a separate origin in the left aortic sinus. In 11 patients the origin was from the proximal segment of the right coronary artery. A singular coronary artery was found in five patients, originating from the right aortic sinus in two patients and from the left aortic sinus in three patients. An origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery, a coronary fistula, or an origin of the left anterior descending coronary artery from the RCA could be found in only one patient. Unexpected findings during invasive procedures would suggest a possibly existing coronary anomaly, especially when main branches cannot be opacified by selective contrast medium injection.     

Atresia of the left main coronary artery: Clinical recognition and surgical treatment

Atresia of the left main coronary artery is an extremely rare anomaly with very few cases presented in the literature. Even more uncommon are reports of successful surgical repair. This article concerns two cases of atresia of the left main coronary artery treated surgically with a favourable outcome. The two patients (a 16 year-old boy and a 43 year-old woman) had a different clinical presentation but identical angiographic and morphologic features. The authors examine the embryogenetic defect underlying this anomaly. The differential diagnosis involves two congenital malformations (single coronary artery and anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary trunk) and acquired atherosclerotic disease of the left main coronary artery; the distinguishing features of these conditions are reviewed. Surgical management by means of internal mammary artery revascularization is discussed in light of recent reports about adequacy of blood flow in internal mammary artery bypass grafts.     

Vasospastic angina mimicking graft failure and spontaneously appearing after left ventriculography

A 49-year-old female with significant (75%) left main coronary artery stenosis was initially considered to have developed early obstruction of a saphenous vein graft to the left anterior descending coronary artery, because of recurrent postoperative angina. In a second catheterization study, left ventriculography showed normal contractility of all segments and was immediately followed by the onset of angina and angiographic demonstration of diffuse spasm of the entire left coronary artery system beyond the stenosis. Vasospasm of the left coronary artery before or during ventriculography was unlikely in the absence of regional contractility impairment. The close temporal association between the left ventricular angiogram and the angiographic demonstration of vasospasm suggested a direct cause and effect relationship.     

A heart within a heart

A 44‐year‐old man with a history of end‐stage dilated cardiomyopathy status‐post orthotopic cardiac transplant 14 years ago presented for coronary angiography in preparation for re‐operative tricuspid valve replacement. Coronary angiography revealed an anomalous origin of the left coronary artery, with a common coronary trunk arising from the right coronary cusp and bifurcating into right and left main coronary arteries. Interestingly, the right and left coronary arteries coursed to form the shape of a heart, hence, a heart within a heart! © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

An Additional Angiographic Sign for Determining Coronary Artery Dominance in Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease

An additional angiographic sign for determining coronary artery dominance is proposed. This sign is based on the anatomic pattern of the infraventricular branches in the left anterior oblique view. It is especially helpful in patients in whom the right coronary and/or left circumflex coronary arteries are completely occluded and distal vessels are filled via collaterals.     

Recurrence of coronary artery spasm after successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

A 47-year-old man presented with angina, and coronary angiograms showed a significant organic stenosis with spasm in the left anterior descending coronary artery. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty was successfully performed for the organic lesion in the left anterior descending coronary artery. Symptom of angina due to coronary artery spasm recurred, even without restenosis at the site of successful angioplasty.     

Complete occlusion of the left main coronary artery: clinical and angiographic observations in five cases

Involvement of the left main coronary artery is observed in approximately 5 to 8% of patients with coronary artery lesions detected by coronary angiography, but occlusion of the left main artery is a very infrequent finding. Out of approximately 4000 patients undergoing coronary angiography, four men and one woman, 37 to 60 years old, showed total occlusion of this vessel. Four of them had angina pectoris and three had had a myocardial infarction. All five showed deep ST depression in V 2(or 3)-6 during bicycle exercise testing. Apart from the left main artery occlusion, all had significant obstructive lesions in other coronary vessels, including the right coronary artery or its major branches. There was collateral circulation from the right coronary artery in all patients. Left ventricular function was well preserved in three patients and markedly impaired in two. Four patients underwent bypass surgery and they have been followed for 10 to 28 months. Three are free of angina and one has only minimal angina. One patient refused surgery and he continued to have severe angina despite intense medical treatment. He died suddenly after 30 months follow-up. In patients with complete occlusion of the left main coronary artery, development of adequate collateral flow seems important in preserving left ventricular function, but collaterals are usually insufficient to prevent angina. Moreover, associated obstructive lesions in other coronary arteries constitute a potential threat to the collateral circulation. Effective symptomatic relief is obtained by coronary bypass grafting, and revascularization may also improve prognosis in this subset of patients with coronary heart disease.     

Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the left anterior descending: Angiographic diagnosis in a patient with coronary artery disease

The coronary angiographic findings of an individual whose right coronary artery originates from the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery are described.     

Percutaneous left main coronary artery stent for acute myocardial ischemia after repaired ALCAPA

Percutaneous coronary artery stent angioplasty is rare in the pediatric population but can be a life‐saving by rapidly reestablishing flow to an obstructed coronary artery. It is a technically challenging and high‐risk procedure in infants and further limited by the need for future surgical intervention. We report of an infant with anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery who underwent acutely successful surgical reimplantation of the left coronary artery onto the ascending aorta. One month later, she developed acute myocardial ischemia and emergent catheterization diagnosed near‐total occlusion of the left coronary artery. We implanted a 2.5 mm coronary stent in the left main coronary artery with reestablishment of flow. The patient's left ventricular systolic function recovered within 4 weeks and repeat angiography 3 months later showed complete normalization of the entire left coronary artery system. The patient weighed 3 kg and was < 6 weeks of age at the time of stent implantation which to our knowledge is the smallest and youngest reported patient to undergo coronary stent angioplasty. This case supports the feasibility of this procedure in infants as a temporizing solution to hemodynamic instability from myocardial ischemia due to coronary artery stenosis. The left ventricular systolic function remained normal at 7 months after stent placement and the patient was clinically well from a cardiac perspective. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Left bundle branch block: a hemodynamic and angiographic study

Coronary angiography, left ventriculography, and hemodynamicdata were evaluated in 34 patients with coronary artery diseaseand left bundle branch block. Left axis deviation (mean frontalaxis greater than —30°) was correlated with hemodynamicand angiographic findings. The patients with left bundle branchblock and coronary artery disease were compared with 98 subjectswith ischemic heart disease without conduction disturbances. Left axis deviation, which is common in subjects with coronaryartery disease and left bundle branch block, had no prognostichemodynamic significance. Left bundle branch block associatedwith coronary artery disease did not imply more severe or moreextensive coronary atherosclerosis, even though it revealeda higher frequency of lesions of the left main coronary arteryand more severe myocardial dysfunction, with asynergy especiallyinvolving the anterior areas of the left ventricle.     

Case Report: A Rare Case of a Giant Right Coronary Artery Aneurysm

We report the case of a 34-year-old female patient with a giant thrombus-filled aneurysm of the right coronary artery presenting as a spherical cardiac mass on echocardiography. The cardiac mass was found to be an 8-cm right coronary artery aneurysm on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, which also revealed a 3.5-cm proximal left coronary aneurysm and a very small aneurysm at the origin of the obtuse marginal coronary artery. Due to the extent and size of the right coronary aneurysm, a decision for surgical intervention was made. Resection of the right coronary artery aneurysm with vein graft replacement and a bypass to the left anterior descending followed by subsequent exclusion of the aneurysm was successfully performed.