Giant right coronary artery aneurysm

Robert Blank1, Philipp K Haager, Micha Maeder

  • 1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, Zurich, Switzerland. rblank@uhbs.ch

Insights

A giant coronary artery aneurysm filled with atherosclerotic thrombus was identified in a 59-year-old man. Surgical intervention included bypass grafting and aneurysm exclusion.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Vascular Surgery

Background:

  • Coronary artery aneurysms are rare, often asymptomatic, and can pose diagnostic challenges.
  • Atherosclerotic aneurysms are a subset requiring specific management considerations.

Observation:

  • A 59-year-old male presented with a giant, thrombus-filled right coronary artery aneurysm.
  • The aneurysm appeared as an ambiguous spherical mass near the right atrium on echocardiography.

Findings:

  • Diagnosis confirmed via transesophageal echocardiography, computed tomography, and coronary angiography.
  • The large size and thrombus burden necessitated complex surgical management.

Implications:

  • Successful surgical repair involved vein grafting to the posterior descending artery.
  • Aneurysm exclusion via ligation was performed due to its extensive nature.
  • This case highlights the importance of advanced imaging in diagnosing rare cardiac pathologies.

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