STEMI Due to Big Ostial Left Main Thrombus Extending Into Aorta: Challenging Situation With No Clear Guidelines

Extensive left main (LM) coronary artery thrombus is a rare and life-threatening angiographic finding with usual dramatic clinical presentation including hemodynamic instability and sudden cardiac death. The proper management of a big LM thrombus extending into aorta remains a challenging issue with no clear guidelines. In the following case report we present a 45-year-old patient with no apparent risk factors for coronary artery disease who presented with acute infero-lateral ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The examination was performed using a right transfemoral approach and it revealed the presence of a large mobile, hazy mass within the left main coronary artery (LMCA) extending into the aorta. To confirm the extension of that structure we performed intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) which revealed a circumferential mass in the LMCA extending with its two-thirds into the aorta with no evidence of atherosclerotic plaques. After a long discussion within our Heart team we decided to transfer the patient for urgent surgical removal. Such decision was made with regard to the large size of the mass and in order to avoid systemic or distal embolization into coronary arteries. Perioperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) confirmed diagnosis and excluded presence of patent foramen ovale (PFO). Surgical removal was done successfully with complete resolution of ST-segment elevation and rapid fall of cardiac enzymes to normal levels. Postoperative course was uneventful. The mass was defined as a thrombus by pathophysiology examination. Patient was discharged well from our hospital after 1 week.