Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 21, 2026

Use of a Hanging Weight System for Coronary Artery Occlusion in Mice
08:30

Use of a Hanging Weight System for Coronary Artery Occlusion in Mice

Published on: April 19, 2011

Right coronary artery cirsoid with fistulous connection to the coronary sinus

F Tomai1, L Sommariva, F Nudi

  • 1Servizio Speciale di Diagnosi e Cura di Emodinamica, Università Tor Vergata, European Hospital, Rome, Italy.

Catheterization and Cardiovascular Diagnosis
|December 1, 1993
PubMed

Insights

This case report details a rare anomaly where a right coronary artery abnormally connected to the coronary sinus. Cardiac catheterization confirmed the diagnosis and quantified the left-to-right shunt, crucial for surgical planning.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Medical Imaging
  • Vascular Surgery

Background:

  • Right atrial myxoma is a rare cardiac tumor.
  • Anomalous coronary artery origins can lead to complex cardiovascular conditions.
  • Coronary artery fistulas require accurate diagnosis and management.

Observation:

  • A 61-year-old woman presented with suspected right atrial myxoma.
  • Transesophageal echocardiography suggested an anomalous right coronary artery with a fistulous connection to the coronary sinus.
  • Cardiac catheterization revealed an oxygen step-up in the right atrium, indicating a significant left-to-right shunt.

Findings:

  • Aortic root angiography demonstrated a large, calcified right coronary artery cirsoid draining into a dilated coronary sinus.
  • The findings confirmed a rare coronary artery anomaly, not a right atrial myxoma.
  • A left-to-right shunt of 1.3:1.0 was quantified via cardiac catheterization.

Implications:

  • Cardiac catheterization is essential for diagnosing and quantifying shunts in anomalous coronary artery fistulas.
  • Accurate shunt quantification guides the decision for surgical intervention.
  • This case highlights the importance of comprehensive diagnostic evaluation for complex congenital heart anomalies.

More Related Videos

Direct Re-implantation of Left Coronary Artery into the Aorta in Adults with Anomalous Origin of Left Coronary Artery from the Pulmonary Artery (ALCAPA)13:10

Direct Re-implantation of Left Coronary Artery into the Aorta in Adults with Anomalous Origin of Left Coronary Artery from the Pulmonary Artery (ALCAPA)

Published on: April 24, 2017

Establishment and Evaluation of a Porcine Vein Graft Disease Model08:50

Establishment and Evaluation of a Porcine Vein Graft Disease Model

Published on: July 25, 2022

Related Concept Videos

Chambers of the Heart01:16

Chambers of the Heart

The human heart is a complex organ made up of four chambers: the right and left atria and the right and left ventricles. These internal chambers are separated by partitions known as the interatrial and interventricular septa. The exterior of the heart features a groove known as the coronary sulcus that demarcates the atria from the ventricles, while the anterior and posterior interventricular sulci distinguish between the two ventricles.
Deoxygenated blood from the body is received in the right...
Coronary Circulation01:21

Coronary Circulation

The heart, an organ critical to survival, gets nourishment not from the blood it pumps but from a separate circulation system known as coronary circulation. This is the shortest circulation in the body and is responsible for supplying the heart with the nutrients it needs to function effectively.
Coronary circulation begins at the base of the aorta, where two main arteries arise—the left and right coronary arteries. These arteries encircle the heart in the coronary sulcus and supply the...
The Arch of Aorta01:10

The Arch of Aorta

The coronary arteries, originating from the ascending aorta, bifurcate from two sinuses located within the ascending aorta. Positioned just above the aortic semilunar valve, these sinuses house essential aortic baroreceptors and chemoreceptors, crucial for maintaining cardiac function. The left coronary artery and the right coronary artery branch off from the left posterior and anterior aortic sinuses, respectively.
Encircling the heart, the coronary arteries form a ring-like structure before...
Overview of Systemic Veins01:11

Overview of Systemic Veins

Systemic veins are crucial blood vessels that return deoxygenated blood from various body tissues back to the heart. There are three systemic veins that return deoxygenated blood to the heart, they are as follows.
The coronary sinus, the heart's principal vein, resides in the coronary sulcus on the heart's posterior aspect. This broad venous channel receives nearly all venous blood from the myocardium, the heart muscle. It is fed by three primary veins: the great cardiac vein, the middle...
Physiology of the Heart: The Cardiac Cycle01:18

Physiology of the Heart: The Cardiac Cycle

The cardiac cycle describes the events from one heartbeat to the next. It includes three main phases: diastole, atrial systole, and ventricular systole, all driven by changes in chamber pressures and the function of heart valves.
Diastole: The Relaxation Phase
During diastole, all four heart chambers relax. The atrioventricular (AV) valves open, and the semilunar valves close. This phase sees the lowest chamber pressures, promoting ventricular filling. Venous blood enters the heart through the...
Cardiac Catheterization II: Right Heart Catheterization01:21

Cardiac Catheterization II: Right Heart Catheterization

Right Heart Catheterization: An OverviewRight heart catheterization is an invasive diagnostic procedure that measures right-sided cardiac and pulmonary artery pressures, calculates cardiac output, and identifies intracardiac shunts. It provides detailed hemodynamic data essential for diagnosing and managing various cardiovascular conditions, such as pulmonary hypertension.Access SitesCommon access sites for right heart catheterization include the internal jugular vein in the neck region, the...