A Rare Combination of Giant Right Coronary Artery Aneurysm
Imran Haider1, Promporn Suksaranjit1, Brent Wilson1
1Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States.
Insights
Giant coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) can rarely present as infective endocarditis. This case highlights a large CAA with fistulous drainage into the right ventricle, causing chronic symptoms and requiring early surgical intervention.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Vascular Surgery
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Giant coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) are rare, with an incidence of 0.02% in adults.
- The right coronary artery is the most common site for CAA, often associated with fistula formation.
Observation:
- A case of an 87-year-old man with a large CAA and fistulous drainage into the right ventricle (RV) is presented.
- The patient experienced chronic weakness and lethargy attributed to the condition and RV free wall vegetation.
Findings:
- Giant CAA with fistulous drainage to the RV can mimic infective endocarditis.
- The presence of RV free wall vegetation in this case contributed to the patient's symptoms.
Implications:
- Early detection and surgical management of giant CAA with fistulous drainage are crucial for patient benefit.
- This condition necessitates a high index of suspicion for potential endocarditis-like presentations.
Context:
Giant coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) in adults is a rare clinical entity with an estimated incidence of 0.02%. CAA is commonly found in the right coronary artery with significant number of cases associated with fistula formation.
Case Report:
We describe a rare case of an 87 year-old man with large CAA with fistulous drainage into the right ventricle (RV) along with RV free wall vegetation as a cause of chronic weakness and lethargy.
Conclusion:
Giant CAA with fistulous drainage to the RV could present in the form of infective endocarditis. Early detection and surgical treatment would provide a significant benefit to these patients.
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