A Late Complication in a Surgically Corrected ALCAPA Patient
Pascal C Visser1, Mitran Keijzers1, Ronak Delewi2
1Department of Cardiology, Spaarne Gasthuis, Haarlem, the Netherlands.
JACC. Case Reports
|June 23, 2022
Summary
Late complications after surgical correction for anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) are uncommon. This case highlights a rare instance of a thrombosed giant right coronary artery aneurysm discovered incidentally on chest X-ray.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Radiology
Background:
- Anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) is a rare congenital heart defect.
- Surgical repair is typically curative, but late complications can occur.
- Coronary artery aneurysms are a known, albeit infrequent, sequela.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report a rare case of a thrombosed giant right coronary artery aneurysm.
- To emphasize the importance of considering late complications after ALCAPA repair.
- To illustrate the diagnostic utility of chest X-ray in identifying unexpected cardiac findings.
Main Methods:
- Case report of a surgically corrected ALCAPA patient.
- Diagnostic imaging including chest X-ray.
- Review of relevant literature on late ALCAPA complications.
Main Results:
- A giant aneurysm of the right coronary artery was identified.
- The aneurysm was found to be thrombosed.
- The finding was incidentally discovered on a routine chest X-ray.
Conclusions:
- Thrombosed giant coronary artery aneurysms are a rare but possible late complication following ALCAPA repair.
- Chest X-ray can reveal significant cardiac abnormalities, including coronary aneurysms.
- Vigilance for uncommon late sequelae is crucial in long-term follow-up of ALCAPA patients.
