Right coronary artery hepatic vein fistula: a case report

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Vascular Surgery
• Case Reports

Background:

• Coronary artery fistulas are abnormal connections between coronary arteries and heart chambers or great vessels.
• The right coronary artery is a common origin for these fistulas, typically draining into low-pressure cardiac structures.
• Hepatic vein drainage of coronary fistulas has not been previously documented.

Observation:

• A patient presented with a rare coronary artery fistula.
• The fistula originated from the right coronary artery.
• The anomalous drainage pathway was identified as the middle hepatic vein.

Findings:

• This represents the first reported case of a right coronary artery fistula terminating in a hepatic vein.
• The unusual drainage site challenges existing understanding of coronary fistula anatomy and behavior.

Implications:

• This finding expands the spectrum of known coronary fistula drainage pathways.
• It may necessitate re-evaluation of diagnostic and treatment strategies for coronary artery fistulas.
• Further research is warranted to understand the embryological and clinical significance of this rare anomaly.