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Single coronary artery with transeptal anterior interventricular artery: a rare anatomical feature
1Department of Morphological Sciences, Medical School, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.
Insights
A rare single coronary artery anomaly was found in a male patient. This congenital heart defect poses risks during cardiac surgery and coronary bypass procedures.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Anatomy
- Congenital Heart Disease
- Medical Case Reports
Background:
- Single coronary artery anomalies are rare congenital heart defects.
- Understanding coronary artery anatomy is crucial for cardiac surgery.
- This case highlights a unique variation with clinical significance.
Observation:
- A 50-year-old male presented with a single coronary artery originating from the right aortic sinus.
- The anomalous artery traversed the interventricular septum and coursed subepicardially.
- A portion of this artery was intramyocardial, identified as the anterior interventricular artery.
Findings:
- Literature review identified only five similar cases of single coronary artery anomalies.
- The described anomaly involves a complex course and partial intramyocardial location.
- This specific anatomical variation has not been extensively documented.
Implications:
- Damage to the intramyocardial artery is a risk during right ventricle infundibulum manipulation in cardiac surgery.
- Potential perfusion issues may arise during coronary bypass grafting procedures.
- Awareness of this anomaly is vital for surgical planning and patient safety in cardiovascular interventions.
Abstract:
A case of a single coronary artery is described in a 50-year-old male, who died of asphyxia. The artery originated in the right aortic sinus and from it another artery emerged which crossed the crista supraventricularis and the interventricular septum and returned to occupy a subepicardial position in the lower half of the anterior interventricular sulcus. This partially intramyocardial artery was considered as the anterior interventricular artery. A literature survey showed only five cases with similar characteristics. The importance of this anomaly derives from the risk of damage occurring to the intramyocardial artery during a manipulation of the infundibulum of the right ventricle in a cardiac surgery or from problems of perfusion during coronary bypass procedures.