From Small Coronary Artery Aneurysm to Giant Left Ventricle Aneurysm
Sergio Sciacca1, Giuseppe Maria Raffa, Giovanni Gentile
1Cardiac Surgery and Heart Transplantation Unit, Department for the Treatment and Study of Cardiothoracic Diseases and Cardiothoracic Transplantation, IRCCS-ISMETT (Mediterranean Institute for Transplantation and Advanced Specialized Therapies), Palermo, Italy.
Insights
Treatment of coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) is complex, even with percutaneous methods. This case highlights challenges and the need for guidelines in managing these rare cardiovascular conditions.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Interventional Cardiology
- Aneurysm Research
Background:
- Coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) present unique therapeutic challenges.
- Limited consensus guidelines exist for managing CAA.
- Focused registries are needed to inform treatment strategies.
Observation:
- A 58-year-old male with acute coronary syndrome underwent stent placement for a right coronary artery aneurysm.
- The procedure led to acute myocardial infarction.
- Subsequent left ventricular remodeling and ventricular tachycardia necessitated surgical intervention.
Findings:
- Percutaneous treatment of CAA is technically demanding, even in high-volume centers.
- Undersizing a covered stent resulted in migration and severe complications.
- The optimal therapeutic strategy for CAA remains controversial.
Implications:
- "Heart team"-based decision-making is recommended for CAA management.
- Case reports underscore the complexity and potential pitfalls of percutaneous CAA treatment.
- Further research and guideline development are crucial for improving patient outcomes.
Objective:
To underscore how challenging the treatment of a coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) can be and highlight the need for consensus guidelines based on focused registries.
Clinical Presentation And Intervention:
A 58-year-old man presented with acute coronary syndrome and underwent elective stent placement on a right CAA. The procedure was complicated by inferior acute myocardial infarction; 8 months later, due to remodeling toward a left ventricular aneurysm of the inferior wall, he experienced several episodes of sustained ventricular tachycardia that required urgent surgical treatment.
Conclusion:
The best therapeutic option for CAA is still a matter of controversy, and though the percutaneous approach can meet the technical challenges, 'heart team'-based decision-making is recommended. The case reported here showed that percutaneous treatment of CAA can be a challenging procedure, even in experienced and high-volume centers. In our patient's case, undersizing the covered stent led to further migration and to a complication that was more severe than the original disease.
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