Rare Variant of Left Circumflex Coronary Artery Originating From the Right Coronary Artery

Abdalhai Alshoubi1, Brian Kurtz2, Alan Dean2

  • 1Clinical Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, St. Joseph's Medical Center, Stockton, USA.

Cureus
|August 30, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Coronary artery anomalies are rare but can increase risks. A 43-year-old experienced chest pain and myocardial infarction due to an anomalous origin of the left circumflex coronary artery.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Anatomical Pathology

Background:

  • Coronary artery anomalies (CAAs) are uncommon congenital conditions.
  • While often asymptomatic, some CAAs increase risks of sudden cardiac death and myocardial ischemia.

Observation:

  • A 43-year-old male presented with chest pain and underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery for four-vessel disease post-myocardial infarction.
  • Coronary angiography revealed an anomalous origin of the left circumflex coronary artery (ALCx) from the right coronary artery (RCA).
  • This ALCx was a Type I variant, originating from a separate ostium in the right coronary cusp.

Findings:

  • The anomalous origin of the left circumflex coronary artery from the right coronary cusp is generally considered a benign variant.
  • Despite its benign classification, this anomaly may have compensated for a complete left coronary artery occlusion in this patient.

Implications:

  • Accurate documentation and description of coronary anomalies are crucial for appropriate patient management.
  • Understanding variants like ALCx originating from the RCA is important for risk stratification and treatment planning in cardiovascular disease.

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