Anomalous Arising of Right Coronary Artery from the Pulmonary Artery
Adrián Kolesár1, Tomáš Toporcer1, Jana Čobejová1
1Department of Heart Surgery, East Slovak Institute of Cardiovascular Disease and Medical Faculty, University of Pavol Jozef Šafárik in Košice, 04011 Košice, Slovakia.
Insights
Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery is a rare condition, often asymptomatic. Surgical correction is recommended only if symptoms of myocardial ischemia occur.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Congenital Heart Disease
Background:
- Coronary artery anomalies occur in <1% of the population, with anomalous origin from the pulmonary artery being a rare subset.
- Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (AORCAPA) has an incidence of 1 in 500,000.
Observation:
- A case report details a 67-year-old male diagnosed with asymptomatic AORCAPA.
- The patient presented for aortic valve stenosis surgery.
Findings:
- A concomitant surgical procedure repositioned the anomalous right coronary artery origin to the aortic root.
- The patient recovered well and was discharged on postoperative day 12.
Implications:
- AORCAPA is frequently asymptomatic, necessitating intervention only when myocardial ischemia is evident.
- This case highlights successful surgical management of AORCAPA in an adult undergoing unrelated cardiac surgery.
Abstract:
Coronary artery anomalies are seen in less than 1% of the general population and in 1.6% of cardiac catheterization cases. The anomalous origin of the coronary artery from the pulmonary artery is one of four groups of coronary artery origin anomalies. The incidence of anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery is 1 in 500,000 and was first described in 1882 by John Brook. This case report reports on a 67-year-old man with a diagnosis of asymptomatic anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery. The patient underwent surgery of the aortic valve because of valve stenosis. A concomitant surgical procedure included repositioning of the right coronary artery origin to the aortic root sinus. The patient was discharged on the 12th postoperative day, in good condition. Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery is commonly asymptomatic, and surgery is required only if myocardial ischemia is presented.
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