Left Main Coronary Artery Aneurysm
Hossein Doustkami1, Nasrollah Maleki1, Zahra Tavosi2
1Imam Khomeini Hospital, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran.
Insights
Left main coronary artery aneurysms are rare but can be caused by atherosclerosis. Surgical intervention, like bypass grafting, can effectively treat these aneurysms, leading to asymptomatic recovery.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Interventional Cardiology
- Vascular Surgery
Background:
- Left main coronary artery aneurysms are rare, found in 0.1% of patients undergoing angiography.
- Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of coronary artery aneurysms.
- Diagnosis and treatment rely on angiography, with management tailored to coronary stenosis severity.
Observation:
- A 72-year-old male with hypertension presented with unstable angina.
- Electrocardiogram revealed ST depression and T-wave inversion.
- Echocardiography showed reduced ejection fraction (45%) and regional wall motion abnormalities.
Findings:
- Coronary angiography confirmed a saccular left main coronary artery aneurysm.
- Significant stenosis was noted in the left anterior descending, left circumflex, and right coronary arteries.
- The patient underwent successful coronary artery bypass grafting and aneurysm ligation.
Implications:
- Surgical management of left main coronary artery aneurysms with concomitant stenosis can yield positive outcomes.
- This case highlights the importance of prompt diagnosis and intervention for rare coronary artery pathologies.
- Successful surgical treatment resulted in complete symptom resolution at six-month follow-up.
Abstract:
Aneurysms of the left main coronary artery are exceedingly rare clinical entities, encountered incidentally in approximately 0.1% of patients who undergo routine angiography. The most common cause of coronary artery aneurysms is atherosclerosis. Angiography is the gold standard for diagnosis and treatment. Depending on the severity of the coexisting coronary stenosis, patients with left main coronary artery aneurysms can be effectively managed either surgically or pharmacologically. We herein report a case of left main coronary artery aneurysm in a 72-year-old man with a prior history of hypertension presenting to our hospital because of unstable angina. The electrocardiogram showed ST-segment depression and T-wave inversion in the precordial leads. All the data of blood chemistry were normal. Echocardiography showed akinetic anterior wall, septum, and apex, mild mitral regurgitation and ejection fraction of 45%. Coronary angiography revealed a saccular aneurysm of the left main coronary artery with significant stenosis in the left anterior descending, left circumflex, and right coronary artery. The patient immediately underwent coronary artery bypass grafting and ligation of the aneurysm. At six months' follow-up, he remained asymptomatic.
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