Fistulous communication between the right coronary artery and left atrium

This report describes congenital coronary artery fistula of the right coronary artery draining into the left atrium in a young woman. The initial diagnosis of this rare anomaly was made noninvasively by echocardiography. Transesophageal echocardiography was vastly superior to transthoracic echocardiography in presenting the entire course of the fistula. The diagnosis was confirmed by coronary angiography. The fistula was successfully closed surgically.