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Published on: April 15, 2021
[Coronary artery aneurysm associated with fistula: two anatomically similar cases with different clinical
N Ngo Mandag1, B Sina, P Decoodt
1Service de Cardiologie, C.H.U. Brugmann, Bruxelles. nathaliemandag@yahoo.fr
Insights
Coronary artery fistulas, rare heart defects, can present differently. These two cases highlight varied diagnoses, from incidental murmurs to chest pain evaluations, involving the right coronary artery and right atrium.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Congenital Heart Disease
- Interventional Cardiology
Background:
- Coronary artery fistulas are uncommon congenital heart anomalies.
- Their coexistence with coronary aneurysms is exceptionally rare.
- Understanding diverse clinical presentations is crucial for timely diagnosis.
Observation:
- Two distinct cases of coronary artery fistula are presented.
- Case 1: Diagnosis incidental, discovered via a heart murmur.
- Case 2: Diagnosis during investigation for thoracic pain.
Findings:
- Both cases involved a fistulous communication from the right coronary artery to the right atrium.
- The right coronary artery was the source of the fistula in both instances.
- Clinical presentation varied significantly between the two patients.
Implications:
- Highlights the varied clinical spectrum of coronary artery fistulas.
- Emphasizes the importance of considering rare cardiac anomalies in differential diagnoses.
- Illustrates the need for thorough cardiac evaluation in patients with murmurs or chest pain.
Abstract:
Coronary artery fistulas are rare anomalies and their association with a coronary aneurysm even more infrequent. We report two cases which are illustrative because of their different clinical presentations. In the first case the diagnosis was made after discovering fortuitously a heart murmur. In contrast in the second case the coronary artery fistula was demonstrated during a check-up for thoracic pain. In both cases the right coronary artery gave a fistulous communication to the right atrium.
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