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Circumflex coronary artery dissection following waterskiing
J Greenberg1, M Salinger, F Weschler
1Evanston Hospital Department of Cardiology, Ill, USA.
Chest
|April 29, 1998
Summary
A rare case of circumflex artery dissection occurred in a woman after blunt chest trauma from waterskiing. Despite initial normal cardiac evaluations, the trauma led to ventricular fibrillation and subsequent brain death.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Trauma Surgery
- Forensic Pathology
Background:
- Blunt chest trauma can cause cardiac injury.
- Waterskiing is an uncommon cause of chest trauma.
- Dissection of coronary arteries is a serious cardiovascular event.
Observation:
- A previously healthy 35-year-old woman presented with chest discomfort after waterskiing.
- Initial emergency department visits revealed normal ECGs and cardiac enzymes.
- The patient later became unconscious, requiring resuscitation from ventricular fibrillation.
Findings:
- Emergency cardiac catheterization showed moderate circumflex artery disease.
- Autopsy revealed a dissection of the circumflex artery.
- This is the first reported case of circumflex artery dissection due to blunt chest trauma from waterskiing.
Implications:
- Blunt chest trauma, even when seemingly mild, can lead to severe coronary artery dissection.
- Vigilant cardiac evaluation is crucial in patients with chest trauma, even with initially normal findings.
- This case highlights the potential for unusual mechanisms of coronary artery dissection.