Postpartum spontaneous coronary dissection presenting with ventricular fibrillation

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is a rare cause of acute coronary syndromes; and one quarter of these patients present during the post-partum period. Furthermore, ventricular fibrillation is a rare presentation of this disease entity.

A 32-year-old woman presented 3 days post Cesarean-section delivery with chest pain, ischemic electrocardiogram changes, and ventricular fibrillation arrest. The patient was taken for cardiac catheterization and found to have a left anterior coronary artery dissection necessitating 6 stents to restore flow to the vessel.

We report the first case of survival after ventricular fibrillation arrest of a woman presenting with spontaneous coronary dissection in the post-partum period. Our case underscores the importance of recognizing ventricular fibrillation as a first presenting sign of spontaneous coronary artery dissection in the post-partum period.