Twin left circumflex arteries in a patient undergoing aortic valve replacement
A Y Andreou1, S Theodorou, C Makrides
1Department of Cardiology, Limassol General Hospital, Limassol, Pano Polemidia, Limassol, Cyprus. y.andreas@yahoo.com.
Insights
A rare coronary anomaly, bilaterally arising twin left circumflex (LCx) arteries, was identified in a patient with severe aortic valve stenosis. Preoperative recognition is crucial for patients undergoing aortic valve surgery.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Cardiac Surgery
- Congenital Heart Disease
Background:
- Severe symptomatic aortic valve stenosis necessitates surgical intervention.
- Coronary artery anomalies can complicate cardiac procedures.
- Accurate preoperative anatomical assessment is vital for surgical planning.
Observation:
- A rare coronary anomaly, bilaterally arising twin left circumflex (LCx) arteries, was identified preoperatively.
- One LCx artery originated from the left main coronary artery.
- The second LCx artery arose from the right aortic sinus with a retroaortic course.
Findings:
- This specific pattern represents a unique case of twin LCx arteries, with only 7 previously reported instances in English literature.
- The anomaly was discovered during coronary angiography in a patient with severe aortic valve stenosis.
- The case highlights the importance of detailed coronary imaging before aortic valve surgery.
Implications:
- Preoperative identification of this rare coronary anomaly is essential for safe and effective aortic valve surgery.
- Understanding this anomaly can help surgeons anticipate and manage potential complications.
- Simple diagnostic clues for identifying this anomaly during preoperative assessment are discussed.
Abstract:
We present the case of a patient with severe symptomatic aortic valve (AV) stenosis in whom preoperative coronary angiography revealed two separate left circumflex (LCx) arteries, one arising from the left main coronary artery and the other from the right aortic sinus following thereafter a retroaortic course to the left. The pattern of LCx artery anatomy revealed was recognized as one of bilaterally arising twin LCx arteries that is a rare coronary anomaly with only 7 reported cases in the English literature. We discuss the importance of preoperative identification of this anomaly in patients undergoing AV surgery and describe simple clues in order to easily identify it.
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