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A heart within a heart

Edward T Carreras1, Maya Barghash1, Michael M Givertz1

  • 1Heart & Vascular Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.

Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions : Official Journal of the Society for Cardiac Angiography & Interventions
|March 16, 2017
PubMed

Insights

A rare coronary artery anomaly was found in a heart transplant patient. The left coronary artery originated unusually, forming a heart shape with the right coronary artery.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Congenital Heart Anomalies
  • Cardiac Transplantation

Background:

  • A 44-year-old male recipient of an orthotopic cardiac transplant 14 years prior underwent coronary angiography.
  • The procedure was a prerequisite for re-operative tricuspid valve replacement.

Observation:

  • Coronary angiography revealed an anomalous origin of the left coronary artery.
  • A common coronary trunk originated from the right coronary cusp.
  • This trunk bifurcated into the right and left main coronary arteries.

Findings:

  • The anomalous right and left coronary arteries coursed in a unique configuration.
  • The anatomical course resembled the shape of a heart.
  • This created a rare 'heart within a heart' appearance.

Implications:

  • This case highlights the importance of recognizing rare coronary artery anomalies post-transplant.
  • Understanding such variations is crucial for surgical planning and patient management.
  • The findings contribute to the literature on congenital coronary artery variations.

Keywords:
angiographycoronarycoronary anomalytransplantation

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