Aberrant right coronary artery origin from the left aortic sinus with interarterial course manifesting acute

Andreas Y Andreou1, Marios A Ioannides, Panayiotis C Avraamides

  • 1Cardiology Department, New Nicosia General Hospital, Strovolos, Nicosia, Cyprus.

Insights

A rare case of myocardial infarction was linked to an aberrant right coronary artery. Medical management was successful, highlighting the importance of anatomical assessment for aberrant coronary arteries.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Radiology
  • Anatomical Pathology

Background:

  • Myocardial infarction (MI) in a 43-year-old patient.
  • Initial diagnosis suggested a right coronary artery (RCA) culprit lesion.

Observation:

  • Coronary angiography revealed anomalous origin of the dominant RCA from the left aortic sinus with an interarterial course.
  • Computed tomographic angiogram confirmed the aberrant RCA's course.
  • Echocardiography showed no right ventricular abnormalities, and ECG lacked specific signs (ST elevation in V4R) to implicate the ectopic RCA segment.

Findings:

  • The patient was successfully managed medically and remained asymptomatic one year post-discharge.
  • Aberrant origin of a coronary artery from the opposite sinus with an interarterial course can lead to ischemia due to intussusception within the aortic wall.

Implications:

  • Medical management may be appropriate for aberrant RCA without overt ischemic sequelae.
  • Intravascular ultrasound could be valuable for assessing anatomofunctional features of intussuscepted segments to guide interventional treatment decisions.

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