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A Case of Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection Complicated by Free Wall Rupture
Hussain Alzayer1, Matthias Bossard1, Shoeb Ahsan1
1Division of Cardiology, Hamilton General Hospital, Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Insights
Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), a rare cause of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), can lead to cardiac tamponade. This case highlights SCAD
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Medical Case Reports
Background:
- Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an uncommon cause of nonatherosclerotic acute coronary syndrome (ACS).
- SCAD presentation varies, including chest pain, ST-elevation ACS, arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death.
Observation:
- A 70-year-old woman presented with non-ST elevation ACS.
- Angiography revealed SCAD, which is a rare condition.
- The patient subsequently developed cardiac tamponade.
Findings:
- The SCAD case was complicated by cardiac tamponade with free wall rupture.
- This association between SCAD and free wall rupture is extremely rare.
Implications:
- This case underscores the diverse and potentially severe manifestations of SCAD.
- Highlights the critical importance of considering SCAD in ACS, even with atypical presentations.
- Emphasizes the rare but life-threatening complication of cardiac tamponade and free wall rupture in SCAD.
Abstract:
Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an unusual and underdiagnosed cause of nonatherosclerotic acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Patients might present in various ways including chest pain, ST-elevation ACS, ventricular arrhythmia, and sudden cardiac death. In a few reports, it manifested initially as cardiac tamponade. The association of SCAD with free wall rupture is extremely rare. We present a unique case of a 70-year-old woman who initially presented with non-ST elevation ACS and was found to have SCAD on angiography, which was subsequently complicated by cardiac tamponade with free wall rupture.
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