Related Experiment Videos
Coronary artery disease with single coronary artery
Insights
Single coronary artery anomalies can coexist with significant coronary artery disease. This review highlights two cases of single right coronary artery presenting with angina and significant blockages not suitable for bypass surgery.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Congenital Heart Disease
- Interventional Cardiology
Background:
- Single coronary artery (SCA) is a rare congenital anomaly.
- The coexistence of SCA with significant coronary artery disease (CAD) is infrequently reported.
- Understanding this association is crucial for diagnosis and management.
Observation:
- Literature review and case series of two patients with single right coronary artery (SRCA).
- Patients presented with symptoms of angina pectoris.
- Coronary anomalies were unsuspected and diagnosed via imaging during life.
Findings:
- Both SRCA patients exhibited significant coronary artery obstruction or occlusion.
- Graded-exercise stress tests were positive in both cases.
- Stenotic lesions were not amenable to conventional bypass surgery due to their location.
Implications:
- SCA with significant CAD presents diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.
- Non-invasive testing can aid in identifying significant CAD in SCA patients.
- Treatment strategies for these complex cases require careful consideration.
Abstract:
The authors have reviewed the literature in search of the coexistence of single coronary artery with significant coronary artery disease. Two cases of single right coronary artery are described. In both, the anomalies were unsuspected and diagnosed roentgenographically in life. Both patients had angina pectoris, positive graded-exercise stress tests, and hemodynamically significant obstruction or occlusion to the coronary arteries. In neither case was the stenosis proximal or amenable to bypass surgery.