Successful thrombectomy for coronary embolism likely due to floating aortic plaque in ascending aorta

Daisuke Nakamura1, Nobuhiko Makino, Yasuyuki Egami

  • 1Division of Cardiology, Osaka Rosai Hospital, 1179-3, Nagasone-cho, Sakai, Osaka, 591-8025, Japan.

Insights

A 70-year-old man

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Vascular Biology
  • Interventional Cardiology

Background:

  • Acute myocardial infarction necessitates prompt intervention.
  • Coronary artery embolism is a critical complication.
  • Aortic plaque is a known risk factor for systemic embolism.

Observation:

  • Aspiration thrombectomy yielded calcified atherosclerotic plaque, not thrombus.
  • Transesophageal echocardiography revealed mobile aortic plaque and moderate aortic regurgitation.
  • Histological analysis confirmed severe calcified plaque without thrombotic elements.

Findings:

  • The retrieved material was identified as calcified atherosclerotic plaque.
  • Coronary embolism was likely caused by embolized aortic plaque fragments.
  • Aortic regurgitation may have facilitated plaque detachment and transport.

Implications:

  • This case highlights aortic plaque as a potential source of coronary embolism.
  • Understanding aortic plaque mobility is crucial for managing coronary events.
  • Further research into aortic plaque characteristics and embolism risk is warranted.

Related Concept Videos

Venous Thrombosis III: Interprofessional Care01:29

Venous Thrombosis III: Interprofessional Care

Venous thrombosis requires effective prevention and treatment strategies to improve patient outcomes and reduce potential complications.Prevention StrategiesHealthcare providers must prioritize preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE) for all adult patients upon admission. Interventions depend on bleeding and thrombosis risk, medical history, current medications, diagnoses, planned procedures, and patient preferences. Patients on bed rest should change positions every two hours and, if not...
481
Pulmonary Embolism II: Diagnostic Studies and Interprofessional Care01:29

Pulmonary Embolism II: Diagnostic Studies and Interprofessional Care

Diagnosing Pulmonary EmbolismDiagnosing pulmonary embolism (PE) involves clinical assessment and advanced imaging tests. The preferred diagnostic tool is the spiral (helical) CT scan or CT angiography (CTA), which uses intravenous contrast media to visualize the pulmonary vasculature and identify emboli.A ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) scan is an alternative for patients unable to receive contrast media. This scan includes both perfusion and ventilation scanning. Perfusion scanning involves...
744
Peripheral Artery Disease III: Interprofessional Care01:27

Peripheral Artery Disease III: Interprofessional Care

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is characterized by narrowed arteries that diminish blood flow to the extremities. Effective management of PAD requires an interprofessional approach involving various healthcare professionals. The critical aspects of interprofessional care for PAD patients focus on risk factor modification, drug therapy, exercise therapy, nutrition therapy, critical limb ischemia care, and interventional radiology and surgical procedures.The primary treatment goal for PAD...
649
Coronary Artery Disease V: Interprofessional Care01:27

Coronary Artery Disease V: Interprofessional Care

Interprofessional care for coronary artery disease includes pharmacological therapy and revascularization procedures.Pharmacological therapy for Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) aims to manage symptoms, prevent complications, and improve patient outcomes through various classes of medications:Antiplatelet Agents:Aspirin and Clopidogrel: These medications inhibit platelet aggregation, preventing blood clots, which is crucial for avoiding heart attacks and strokes. Doctors often prescribe these...
442
Aneurysm III: Interprofessional Care01:26

Aneurysm III: Interprofessional Care

Aneurysm management involves either conservative medical therapy or surgical intervention, depending on the size and symptoms of the aneurysm. Conservative management is generally reserved for smaller, asymptomatic aneurysms, while larger or symptomatic aneurysms often necessitate surgical repair.Conservative Medical TherapyFor small, asymptomatic aneurysms, particularly abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) less than 5.5 centimeters in diameter, conservative medical therapy is recommended. This...
478
Acute Coronary Syndrome I: Introduction01:30

Acute Coronary Syndrome I: Introduction

Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) encompasses a spectrum of heart conditions caused by sudden obstruction of coronary arteries, typically resulting from the rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque and subsequent thrombus (blood clot) formation. This obstruction can lead to partial or complete blockage of blood flow, causing varying degrees of myocardial ischemia or infarction.ACS includes the following clinical entities:Unstable Angina (UA)Non-ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (NSTEMI)ST-Elevation...
2.0K