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.
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.
Abstract:
Coronary artery anomalies are rare in the general population. Many individuals with coronary artery anomalies are asymptomatic. Some individuals with these anomalies have an increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD), especially young athletes, and an elevated risk of myocardial ischemia with anginal symptoms, seen in older age groups. We report a 43-year-old male who received coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery for the four-vessel disease after suffering from an anteroseptal myocardial infarction (MI). The patient presented to the hospital emergency department with episodes of chest pain for three days. On coronary angiography, an anomalous origin of the left circumflex coronary artery (ALCx) was visualized. This ALCx was a type I variant originating from a separate ostium from the right coronary artery (RCA) at the right coronary cusp. It is important to document and describe the different variants of coronary anomalies to provide proper patient management. The anomalous origin of the left circumflex coronary artery from the right coronary cusp of the RCA is considered a benign variant. It may, however, have been instrumental in supplying blood to the left heart in the setting of complete left coronary artery (LCA) occlusion.
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