Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the anterior aortic sinus: A potential cause of sudden death

Surgical outcomes in adolescents and adults with anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery

Background

Anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery (AAOCA) is associated with an increased risk of myocardial ischemia and sudden cardiac death. This study aims to evaluate the medium-term outcomes of surgical repair for AAOCA and to introduce a novel off-pump technique for anomalous coronary artery reimplantation.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 12 patients aged 12 years and older who underwent AAOCA surgery at Fuwai Hospital between 2009 and 2016.

Results

The median age at surgery was 26 years (range, 13-57 years). Patients with an anomalous left coronary artery from the right sinus (ALCA-R) were significantly younger than those with an anomalous right coronary artery from the left sinus (ARCA-L) (P < 0.001). During a median follow-up of 13 years (range, 8-15years), 11 patients had widely patent repaired coronary arteries, with the exception of one patient (case 5) who experienced occlusion of the left internal mammary artery graft 1 year post-CABG. The incidence of postoperative cardiac-type symptoms (angina, syncope or dyspnea) was higher in ALCA-R patients compared to ARCA-L patients. Patch angioplasty using a pulmonary artery patch and RCA reimplantation without cardiopulmonary bypass yielded satisfactory medium-term outcomes.

Conclusions

Compared with ARCA-L, the incidence of postoperative cardiac-type symptoms was higher in ALCA-R patients. Properly selected surgical procedures can lead to successful outcomes in patients with AAOCA. Patch angioplasty with a pulmonary artery patch and RCA reimplantation without cardiopulmonary bypass are viable and effective surgical options. CABG may not be the preferred surgical approach for AAOCA.

Surgical Management of Anomalous Right Coronary Artery in the Adult: Technique and Case Series

BACKGROUND

The management of adult patients with anomalous aortic origin of the right coronary artery (ARCA) from the left aortic sinus poses important challenges. The presence of symptoms or documented ischaemia, the anatomical characteristics of the ostium, and the course of the coronary determine decision-making.

METHODS

A retrospective review was performed of all cases of surgical management of ARCA at a single centre. The primary endpoints were mortality and myocardial infarction at 30 days. Secondary endpoints included recurrence of symptoms, freedom from re-intervention, and mortality during long-term follow-up.

RESULTS

From October 2019 to August 2023, 15 adult patients underwent surgery for ARCA; 13 patients were included in this study (mean age 53.9±11.1 years; 10 female). A slit-like orifice, a long intramural segment, and an interarterial course were found in all patients. Twelve (12) patients (92.3%) were symptomatic: nine with angina, combined with dyspnoea on exertion in seven. One (1) patient had history of pre-syncope. One (1) patient presented with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. All patients underwent formal unroofing of the orifice and intramural portion of the ARCA; five patients had a concomitant procedure. No 30-day mortality nor myocardial infarction was recorded. At a mean follow-up of 20.1±12.8 months, all patients were alive. One (1) patient (7.6%) developed recurrent dyspnoea; investigations showed no ischaemia. No repeated interventions were required.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical unroofing of anomalous coronary artery in the adult is safe and effective; correction of both the slit-like orifice and intramural portion of the anomaly provides a durable result in patients with ARCA.

Surgical repair of the anomalous aortic origin of the coronary arteries: a single-center experience

OBJECTIVE

Anomalous aortic origin of the coronary artery is a rare congenital cardiac anomaly. The aim of this study was to present our experience with patients who underwent surgery for the anomalous aortic origin of the coronary artery.

METHODS

This was a retrospective review of our experience with patients who had anomalous aortic origin of the coronary artery from 2019 to 2022.

RESULTS

Seven patients were managed for anomalous aortic origin of the coronary artery, including five males and two females. The median age of the patients were 16 years (IQR, 14.5-26 years). Five patients had anomalous aortic origin of the right coronary artery and two patients had anomalous aortic origin of the left coronary artery. Five patients were treated surgically, one patient refused surgical treatment despite myocardial ischaemia symptoms, and the other one was not operated because she had no symptoms. Two patients underwent pulmonary root anterior translocation and left main coronary artery unroofing procedure, one patient underwent right coronary artery unroofing procedure, one patient underwent pulmonary artery lateral translocation procedure, and the last patient underwent right coronary artery osteal translocation procedure. The post-operative mortality or myocardial infarction was not observed in any patient. Patients were followed for a median of 10 months (IQR, 6.75-20.5 months) after repair.

CONCLUSION

The data suggest that surgical repair of anomalous aortic origin of the coronary artery can be performed confidently and can be very effective for relieving myocardial ischaemia symptoms. Different surgical techniques can be used in anomalous aortic origin of the coronary artery according to the course and origin of the coronary arteries. To the our knowledge, pulmonary root anterior translocation and coronary artery unroofing procedure were performed for the first time in the literature.

Treatment of Anomalous Coronary Arteries-Surgical Revascularisation Using the Pure Internal Thoracic Artery Technique

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the use of CABG utilising an isolated pedicled Right Internal Thoracic Artery (RITA) or Left Internal Thoracic Artery (LITA) or the Pure Internal Thoracic Artery (PITA) technique to treat anomalous aortic origin of coronary artery (AAOCA).

METHODS

A retrospective review of all patients at our institution over an 8-year period (2013-2021) who underwent surgery for AAOCA was performed. Data assessed included patient demographics, initial presentation, morphology of coronary anomaly, surgical procedure, cross-clamp time, cardiopulmonary bypass time, and long-term outcome.

RESULTS

A total of 14 patients underwent surgery, including 11 males (78.5%) with a median logistic EuroSCORE of 1.605 (IQR 1.34). The median age was 62.5 years (IQR 48.75). Presentation was angina (7 patients), acute coronary syndrome (5 patients), incidental findings in aortic valve pathology (2 patients). AAOCA morphology varied: RCA from left coronary sinus (6), RCA from left main stem (3), left coronary artery from the right coronary sinus (1), left main stem arising from right coronary sinus (2) and circumflex artery arising from the right coronary sinus (2). Overall, 7 patients had co-existing flow-limiting coronary artery disease. CABG was performed using either a pedicled skeletonized RITA, LITA or PITA technique. There was no perioperative mortality. Overall median follow-up time was 43 months. One patient presented with recurrent angina secondary to graft failure at 2 years and there were two non-cardiac-related deaths at 4 and 35 months.

CONCLUSION

The use of internal thoracic artery grafts can provide a durable treatment option in patients with anomalous coronary arteries. The potential risk of graft failure in patients with no flow-limiting disease should be very carefully considered. However, a proposed benefit of this technique is the use of a pedicle flow to increase the long-term patency. More consistent results are obtained when ischaemia can be demonstrated preoperatively.

Anomalous Aortic Origin of Right Coronary Artery: Outcomes of Surgical and Nonsurgical Treatment

BACKGROUND

Anomalous aortic origin of right coronary artery (AAORCA) is a congenital heart lesion that may be associated with coronary ischemia and sudden death; however, the management of these patients remains controversial. The aim of this study was to analyze all patients with AAORCA managed at our center.

METHODS

The medical records of patients with an isolated diagnosis of AAOCA were retrospectively reviewed, irrespective of symptoms, from 2007 to 2020. Follow-up was obtained by medical record review. AAORCA was diagnosed by echocardiogram and computed tomographic or magnetic resonance imaging studies in all patients. Treatment was based on anatomic, morphologic, and symptomatic features for patients older than 10 years with AAORCA.

RESULTS

The review identified 86 patients with a median age of 16 years; of these, 26 (30%) were managed surgically and 60 (70%) are monitored nonsurgically. Surgical intervention included a "classic" unroofing in 10 (39%), neo-ostial creation in 7 (27%), modified unroofing with neo-ostial creation in 6 (23%), a "classic" unroofing with reimplantation in 2 (7%), and reimplantation only in 1 (4%). Surgical patients were significantly older (P = .01), described more chest pain symptoms (P = .004), had the presence of slitlike ostia (P = .03), and longer length of coronary artery narrowing (P = .0002). At follow-up (median, 3 years; range, 0-13 years), 100% of surgical patients underwent functional testing and had no evidence of ischemia. Postoperative evaluation included one or more of echocardiography, computed tomographic angiogram, magnetic resonance imaging, and exercise stress test.

CONCLUSIONS

Our program uses a systematic approach for patients with AAORCA. With this paradigm, outcomes are excellent in the midterm, as validated with anatomic- and function-based testing.

Therapeutic Management of Anomalous Coronary Arteries Originating From the Opposite Sinus of Valsalva: Current Evidence, Proposed Approach, and the Unknowing

Anomalous coronary arteries originating from the opposite sinus of Valsalva (ACAOS) are a challenge because of their various anatomic and clinical presentation. Although the prevalence is low, the absolute numbers of detected ACAOS are increasing because of the growing use of noninvasive anatomical imaging for ruling out coronary artery disease. As evidence-based guidelines are lacking, treating physicians are left in uncertainty for the optimal management of such patients. The sole presence of ACAOS does not justify surgical correction, and therefore a thorough anatomic and hemodynamic assessment is warranted. Invasive and noninvasive multimodality imaging provides information to the clinical question whether the presence of ACAOS is an innocent coincidental finding, is responsible for the patient's symptoms, or even might be a risk for sudden cardiac death. Based on recent clinical data, focusing on the pathophysiology of patients with ACAOS, myocardial ischemia is dependent on both the extent of fixed and dynamic components, represented by anatomic high-risk features. These varying combinations should be considered individually in the decision making for the different therapeutic options. This state-of-the-art review focuses on the advantages and limitations of the common contemporary surgical, interventional, and medical therapy with regard to the anatomy and pathophysiology of ACAOS. Further, we propose a therapeutic management algorithm based on current evidence on multimodality invasive and noninvasive imaging findings and highlight remaining gaps of knowledge.

Surgical management and long-term follow-up of aberrant right coronary arteries in adults

OBJECTIVES

Anomalous origins of the right coronary artery (RCA) can cause ischaemia and sudden cardiac death, particularly if the RCA runs between the aorta and pulmonary artery. Conventional coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) can be affected by early graft failure due to collateral blood flow. We present our institutional experience in managing patients with RCA anomalies.

METHODS

A single-center retrospective review of all patients who underwent surgery for aberrant right coronary arteries between 2005 and 2021 was conducted and in-hospital and long-term outcomes were analysed at our institution.

RESULTS

A total of 10 patients (5 females, median age: 51 years, 36-62) were identified. They presented with symptoms of chest pain (n = 8), dyspnoea (n = 1) or following cardiac arrest (n = 1). In the majority the RCA originated from the left coronary sinus (n = 9). In one of those patients and one in whom the RCA originated directly from the left anterior descending artery CABG was performed. The other 8 patients were treated using transfer of the RCA ostium. All patients were discharged home (median hospital stay 5 days, range: 4-10). Four patients experienced post-op atrial fibrillation. No other complications were observed. At a median follow-up of 10 years and 9 months, 9 patients were alive and free from cardiac symptoms. One patient died 3 years postsurgery due to liver failure, unrelated to cardiac disease.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with an aberrant RCA, transfer of the ostium into the RCS carries a low surgical risk. It overcomes early graft failure in these patients, who present with a dynamic impairment in RCA blood flow. However, if fixed proximal RCA flow-limiting pathology exists, conventional bypass surgery is feasible.

Direct Reimplantation Procedure in Anomalous Aortic Origin of the Right Coronary Artery: Long-Term Single Center Outcomes

BACKGROUND

Anomalous aortic origin of the right coronary artery is known to be a cause of sudden cardiac death in athletes. There are no specific guidelines concerning treatment strategy in the literature. The aim of this study is to describe and report our experience of direct reimplantation technique in the treatment of this anomaly.

METHODS

This was a retrospective single center study of 30 patients who underwent surgery in the congenital heart disease unit of Louis Pradel Heart and Lung Hospital between January 2003 and December 2016. The mean follow-up was seven years (3 months-17 years).

RESULTS

Thirty patients underwent surgery. The median age was 17 years (0.2-52 years). There were 24 males. The median weight was 58 kg (3.6-118 kg). Fourteen patients were actively engaged in sports. Twenty-six patients had exertional chest pain or syncope. The median time lapse between diagnosis and intervention was 4.5 months (0.5-179 months). Twenty-seven (90%) patients underwent reimplantation of the anomalous coronary artery without transverse aortotomy, while in 3 (10%) patients transverse aortotomy was used to facilitate reimplantation to avoid tension at the anastomosis. There was no early death; one late death occurred in the third postoperative month. At the last follow-up, all patients had returned to normal physical activity without evidence of ischemia.

CONCLUSIONS

Direct reimplantation allows for a complete restoration of the coronary anatomy and enables patients to return to normal physical activity. Our study shows encouraging results using a direct reimplantation technique without aortotomy.

Surgical Techniques for the Treatment of Anomalous Origin of Right Coronary Artery From the Left Sinus: A Comparative Review

The anomalous aortic origin of the right coronary artery (AAORCA) from the left sinus is a congenital anomaly affecting both the origin and course of the right coronary artery. AAORCA is nowadays easily and increasingly recognized by several cardiac imaging modalities. In most cases, patients remain asymptomatic; however, in some, and especially in young athletes, symptoms start to appear following exertion. A literature review was conducted on the surgical management of AAORCA by searching the Pubmed and Google Scholar databases. The inclusion criteria included manuscripts reporting surgical outcomes of AAORCA for ≥1 of the 3 techniques of interest (unroofing, reimplantation, and coronary artery bypass grafting) and manuscripts written in English and that were published between 2010 and 2020. The surgical management of AAORCA can be done through several techniques, most commonly the unroofing of the intramural segment of the AAORCA, the reimplantation of the native right coronary artery onto the right sinus of the aortic root, and coronary artery bypass grafting with either arterial or venous graft conduits with or without ligation of the proximal right coronary artery. Superiority of one surgical technique has not yet been formally proven because of the rare nature of this condition and the lack of any prospective randomized controlled trial or robust prospective observational studies.

Setting things "right": right internal mammary artery on anomalous right coronary artery - a case report

Anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery (AAOCA) is a rare pathology that may cause episodic ischemia owing to possible vessel compression during systolic expansion of the aortic root. This anomaly can lead to myocardial infarction, malignant arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD). Several surgical techniques have been described; however, there are no defined guidelines regarding the treatment of AAOCA. We report the case of a 47-year-old woman with ectopic origin of the right coronary artery (RCA) from the left sinus of Valsalva, with an interarterial course of the proximal segment of the artery, running between the aorta and the pulmonary trunk. Revascularization was accomplished by harvesting the right internal mammary artery (RIMA) and anastomosing it to the anomalous RCA, given the small portion of the RCA following an intramural course and our familiarity with the procedure. The RCA was ligated proximal to the anastomosis to avoid the string sign phenomenon. This procedure is safe and fast and can be considered an alternative to coronary reconstruction.

Takotsubo syndrome unmasking malignant coronary artery anomaly in a patient presenting with acute coronary syndrome: Expanding definitions of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy?

The simultaneous occurrence of Takotsubo syndrome, congenital coronary artery anomaly and severe coronary artery disease is a rare clinical triad. This case report highlights the intricacies of management of this 'triple jeopardy' scenario.

Anomalous origin of coronary artery from the opposite aortic sinus of Valsalva-a single center experience with a therapeutic conundrum

Background: Coronary artery anomalies are rare congenital abnormalities, most often found incidentally on conventional coronary angiography and CT angiography (CTA). CTA better delineates the origin and course of anomalous coronaries. Anomalous origin of coronary artery from the opposite aortic sinus of Valsalva (ACAOS) has a prevalence of 1% with a very few having an interarterial (malignant) course. There is limited literature, especially in the Indian population, dealing with this topic.

Methods: In this retrospective observational study, angiographic data of 8500 consecutive patients from June 2011 to December 2019 at a large tertiary care hospital in western India was analyzed. Patients diagnosed with ACAOS underwent CTA for delineation of the exact anatomy. Those with a non-malignant course with evidence of ischemia clinically or on stress myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI), underwent PCI. Others with a non-malignant course were medically managed. Patients with malignant (interarterial) course were revascularized by coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery in case of LCA involvement or positive MPI test. Asymptomatic patients with negative MPI were managed medically. Clinical follow-up over 12 months of patients undergoing PCI and those with a malignant course showed no major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).

Results: Of the 8500 patients studied, 74 (0.87%) had ACAOS. Of these, 51 (68.9%) patients had anomalous origin of right coronary artery (RCA) from the left aortic sinus, 21 (28.4%) had anomalous origin of the circumflex artery (Cx) from the right aortic sinus and two patients (2.7%) had an anomalous origin of the left main coronary artery (LCA) from the right aortic sinus. Interarterial course was found in five (6.7%) patients. Of these, four patients underwent CABG-one asymptomatic patient with LCA from right aortic sinus and three with positive MPI in anomalous RCA. All five patients with malignant course and ten patients who underwent PCI were free of MACE over 12 months’ clinical follow up.

Conclusions: ACAOS is a rare anomaly and if interarterial course is excluded, then PCI is feasible in selected cases with significant stenosis. Patients with malignant course with inducible ischemia or LCA involvement should undergo surgical revascularisation.

Sudden Death and Coronary Artery Anomalies

Congenital coronary artery anomalies (CAA) include a wide spectrum of malformations present at birth with various clinical manifestations and degrees of severity. Patients may be asymptomatic, and CAA may be an incidental finding during cardiac imaging or at autopsy. However, in other cases, ischemia-related signs and symptoms, leading to an increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD), often as first presentation may occur. In this chapter, we discuss the normal anatomy of the coronary arteries (CA) and the pathology of CAA at risk of SCD, including our experience with victims of SCD among the young population (age <40 years) and among athletes.

Aortic Valve Endocarditis with Anomalous Origin of the Right Coronary Artery and Unknown Infected Thrombus in the Dissected Descending Thoracic Aorta

We report an intricate aortic root replacement in a young male patient suffering from native valve infective endocarditis due to Serratia marcescens . Further complicating the total root replacement, there was an unknown infected aortic thrombus and a concomitant anomalous right coronary artery with an intramural course. As a result of our more aggressive approach, we believe that we lowered the risk of recurrent infection of the bioprosthesis of the aortic root.

Surgical repair of anomalous aortic origin of coronary artery in adults

Anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery is a congenital abnormality of the origin or course of a coronary artery that arises from the aorta. The surgical treatment of this anomaly is highly variable and controversial and is achieved by implementing elaborate techniques of anatomic repair or by simple coronary artery bypass grafting. This review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Two independent reviewers determined whether studies met the inclusion criteria. Eligible papers were published in English, clinical studies describing surgical repair of anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery including coronary artery bypass in adults, and enrolled >5 patients. In the absence of multicentre trials, 7 single-center retrospective series were included, which demonstrated comparable short- and midterm outcomes of anatomic repair and coronary artery bypass in adults with anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery. Coronary unroofing was the preferred technique when the anomalous artery has an intramural component, but there is a risk of aortic insufficiency. Anatomic repair is technically demanding and should be carried out in experienced centers. Coronary artery bypass with internal thoracic artery or vein grafts is technically straightforward with low operative risk and comparable midterm outcomes, however, long-term outcomes are unknown. Coronary artery bypass grafting is the technique of choice for older patients, in those with concomitant coronary artery disease, as a bailout procedure for failed anatomic repair, or in centers without experience in anatomic repair for anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery.

Coronary artery bypass grafting experience in the setting of an anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the left sinus of Valsalva: Midterm results

BACKGROUND

An anomalous origin of the right coronary artery (RCA) from the left sinus of Valsalva with an interarterial course is a rare congenital anomaly. We aimed to assess midterm results after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for the treatment of anomalous RCA arising from the left sinus of Valsalva.

METHODS

From 2008 to 2012, 16 patients underwent CABG for treatment of an anomalous origin of the RCA from the left sinus of Valsalva. Details such as risk factors, operative details, and results of multislice coronary angiography follow-up were assessed.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 34.8 ± 4.68 years, and most of them were male (15 out of 16, 93.75%). They received a mean of 1.5 ± 0.87 grafts. Closure of the RCA was completed in all patients except one (15 out of 16), who developed ischemic symptoms upon closing the proximal part of the RCA. One in-hospital death occurred. Among the remaining patients, symptoms persisted in 2 out of 15. The mean follow-up time was 63.4 ± 28.6 months. All patients had patent vessels on 5-year follow-up multislice computed tomography scans, except one patient who showed RCA graft occlusion on the 1-year follow-up scan.

CONCLUSION

The CABG of the RCA with anomalous origin can be done safely with excellent early and midterm results. Proximal RCA ligation is an essential step to the success of CABG, but intraoperative challenge testing is required to confirm the sufficiency of the internal thoracic artery graft to reperfuse the supplied territory.

Transection and Relocation of Anomalous Left Coronary Artery After Aborted Sudden Cardiac Death

Anomalous origin of the left main coronary artery from the right coronary sinus is associated with sudden cardiac death. We present a young adult who was diagnosed with this anomaly after an aborted sudden cardiac death. He underwent a complete anatomical repair by translocating the left coronary artery to the left coronary sinus of Valsalva, with excellent 10 years outcome.

Anomalous Origin of Right Coronary Artery From Left Coronary Sinus-13 Cases Treated With the Reimplantation Technique

OBJECTIVES

Anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery is uncommon but potentially clinically significant. Manifestations vary from asymptomatic patients to those who present with angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, heart failure, syncope, arrhythmias, and sudden death. We describe our experience with surgical reimplantation and results at midterm follow-up.

METHODS

Between February 2003 and July 2016, a total of 13 patients with anomalous origin of the right coronary artery (RCA) from the left sinus underwent surgical reimplantation.

RESULTS

Mean age was 39 years (range, 11-72 years). Eight patients presented with dyspnea and angina, two with acute myocardial infarction, and the remaining three were studied for atypical chest pain and ventricular premature contractions. Definitive diagnosis was achieved with coronary angiography in eight cases and with computed tomography scan in five. In all cases, the anomalous origin of the RCA from the left sinus had an intramural course except one case with interarterial (but not intramural) course. At operation, the RCA was dissected at the takeoff from the intramural course and reimplanted into the right sinus of Valsalva. There was no mortality. One patient had associated atherosclerotic coronary artery disease that required stent placement postoperatively. After a mean follow-up of 65 months (maximum 12 years), all patients are asymptomatic and have returned to exercise without limitations.

CONCLUSIONS

The reimplantation technique provides a good physiological and anatomical repair, eliminates a slit-like ostium, avoids compression of the coronary artery between the aorta and the pulmonary artery, and gives similar results to the unroofing technique.

Coronary Artery Malformations Presenting as Acute Coronary Syndromes: A Case Series

Coronary artery malformations are rare congenital abnormalities, which present non-specific symptoms such as atypical chest pain, malignant arrhythmia, or sudden cardiac death. The proper diagnosis of these abnormalities in emergency conditions can be very difficult, and noninvasive imaging techniques, such as computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, along with the gold standard represented by invasive coronary angiography, remain the most frequently used modalities for diagnosing these rare cases. We present four cases of coronary anomalies represented by an abnormal origin of the coronary arteries from the coronary ostium, presenting in emergency conditions with symptoms of acute myocardial infarction, which were diagnosed by urgent angiography.

Anomalous Aortic Origin of a Coronary Artery Is Not Always a Surgical Disease

Anomalous aortic origin of the coronary artery (AAOCA) from the opposite sinus of Valsalva with an interarterial course has become a high-profile lesion as a result of its association with sudden cardiac death in otherwise young and healthy individuals. Despite our incomplete knowledge of its pathophysiology and natural history, surgical intervention is often recommended. Evidence now shows AAOCA to be relatively common, with lower than previously suspected rates of sudden cardiac death. Analysis of this information reveals that AAOCA is not always a surgical disease. Future multi-institutional studies will continue to define those subgroups best served by observation or surgery.

Intramural Left Coronary Artery in Truncus Arteriosus

An intramural coronary artery in the setting of truncus arteriosus (common arterial trunk) is an uncommon association. Following an uneventful surgical repair, a neonate developed a low cardiac output state deteriorating into cardiac arrest shortly after arrival into the intensive care unit, requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support. Echocardiography and angiography showed occlusion of the left coronary artery, prompting emergency surgical reexploration. A "slit-like" orifice with an intramural left coronary artery was successfully unroofed, allowing full recovery. Full definition of the proximal coronary anatomy beyond the orifices should be investigated preoperatively in truncus arteriosus, as a missed intramural segment could lead to significant morbidity or mortality.

Surgical Treatment of Anomalous Origin of Right Coronary Artery in a Patient with Mitral Stenosis

BACKGROUND

An anomalous origin of the right coronary artery is rarely observed, with a reported incidence between 0.026% and 0.25%. This condition is often completely asymptomatic and is found incidentally during angiographic evaluation for other cardiac diseases. However some patients present with exertion angina or sudden death. Surgical treatment in patients with anomalous RCA is still controversial. Treatment can be conservative, angioplasty or surgery.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 59-year-old man was admitted with severe mitral stenosis. He complained exertion and rest dyspnea, NYHA III class. He had sequels of embolic stroke, results of left atrial thrombus. Echocardiography showed calcified severe mitral stenosis with mitral orifice area of 1.1 square centimeters with PSPAP 60 mmHg and normal LV function. Routine coronary angiography before surgery showed aberrant origin of RCA from the left sinus of Valsalva with 90% stenosis at his origin. Multi-slice computed tomography proved the diagnosis of anomalous RCA arising from the left sinus of Valsalva and taking an inter-arterial course between the aorta and pulmonary artery. The patient underwent mitral valve replacement with mechanical St. Jude prosthesis No 29 and saphenous vein graft to RCA. We chose by-pass grafting techniques because after aortotomy, RCA was too close to LMCA, intramural course was too short and stenosis of RCA was outside of aortic wall. The patient's perioperative course was without complications and patient was discharged on the seventh postoperative day.

CONCLUSION

Correction of anomalous of the origin of right coronary artery is mandatory in cases where patient has to be operated for other cardiac causes.

Abnormal origins of the coronary arteries from the aortic root

Anomalous origin of a coronary artery from the aorta is a potentially serious anomaly that occurs in about 0.1-0.2% of the population. This percentage is small; however, it translates into about 4000 annual births with these anomalies. The clinical presentation of these anomalies is rare, and hence most are and will remain asymptomatic. The various anatomic anomalies are described, with anomalous origin of the left coronary artery that then passes between the aorta and pulmonary artery being the most serious of these anomalies. The pathophysiology resulting from these anomalies is described, as are methods for identifying those who require treatment; however, we still do not know the best methods of determining which patients need treatment.

Usefulness of multidetector CT angiography for anomalous origin of coronary artery

A 17-year-old man underwent clinical evaluation of exercise-induced syncope. Routine exercise stress test did not show any myocardial ischaemic changes or arrhythmias on the ECG recording. However, multidetector CT (MDCT) angiography of the coronary arteries revealed an abnormal origin of the left coronary artery from the right coronary sinus. The participants' symptoms were diagnosed as cardiogenic syncope possibly due to transient stenosis of the left main coronary artery caught between the functionally distended aortic root and the pulmonary trunk during exercise. After successful patch coronary angioplasty, his symptoms disappeared completely even during a similar degree of strenuous exercise. It is important for clinicians not to overlook possible coronary artery anomalies during management of patients with exercise-induced syncope. MDCT coronary angiography may be a useful and non-invasive tool to establish diagnosis and a surgical approach to rectify congenital coronary artery anomalies.

"Killer coronary artery" and aortic valve stenosis: A tricky case

Anomalous origin of the left main coronary artery from the right coronary sinus is rarely diagnosed in elderly patients. We report such an anomaly in a 75-year-old lady presenting with chest pain and syncope. Preoperative screening revealed that her aortic valve was moderately stenotic. The patient underwent a successful unroofing procedure combined with aortic valve replacement. The outcome was uncomplicated and the patient remained asymptomatic at one year postoperatively.

Patch repair of anomalous origin of the left main coronary artery from the anterior aortic sinus

Anomalous origin of the left main coronary artery from the anterior aortic sinus is a rare but potentially lethal congenital disease. We report two adolescent patients with this anomaly who underwent surgical plasty using a saphenous vein patch, rather than unroofing or fenestration technique, as was typically done. This report suggests that surgical angioplasty can be performed safely and effectively to treat this anomaly.

Sudden cardiac death after repair of anomalous origin of left coronary artery from right sinus of Valsalva with an interarterial course : Case report and review of the literature

Anomalous aortic origin of the coronary artery from the opposite sinus with interarterial course (AAOCA) is a rare condition with a high risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) during or after strenuous exertion. SCD after repair of this anomaly is extremely rare. Here we present a 15-year-old athlete who collapsed on the basketball court in whom an anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the right sinus of Valsalva with interarterial course (ALCA) was diagnosed. In spite of extensive pre-sport participation testing, SCD occurred shortly after surgical correction. We reviewed the literature to establish an evidence-based recommendation to aid physicians in conducting the optimal pre-sport participation management for the prevention of SCD in patients with a surgically corrected AAOCA/ALCA, especially for those who participate in strenuous exercise. Review of the literature (60 articles with 325 patients) reveals that post-surgical, pre-sport participation testing varies greatly but that mortality after surgical repair is extremely low (1.5 %). In conclusion, SCD can still rarely occur after repair of AAOCA despite extensive pre-sport participation testing. This should raise awareness among physicians treating these patients and raises the question whether or not return-to-play guidelines need to be revised.

Anomalous aortic origin of coronary arteries from the opposite sinus: a critical appraisal of risk

Background

Anomalous aortic origin of the coronary artery (AAOCA) from the opposite sinus of Valsalva with an interarterial course has received much attention due to its association with sudden death in otherwise healthy individuals. AAOCA is relatively common and may have significant public health implications. While our knowledge of its pathophysiology and natural history remains incomplete, an emphasis has been placed on surgical correction.

Discussion

In 2005 we published a review examining the rates of sudden death with AAOCA, as well as complications of surgical management. Evidence now points even more strongly to lower rates of sudden death, while surgical outcomes data now better documents associated risks.

Summary

Armed with this updated information, we agree with the need for a national registry to better track patients with AAOCA. We submit that the risks of surgical management outweigh any benefits in the asymptomatic patient with anomalous right coronary artery, and expectant management should also be strongly considered even in asymptomatic patients with anomalous left coronary artery.

Surgical Repair of a Cause of Sudden Death

Left coronary artery originating from the right coronary sinus is one of the most frequent causes of sudden death in young people. We present a reconstructive surgical technique for left coronary artery and main pulmonary artery in a case with anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the right coronary sinus. A 15-year-old boy underwent unroofing of the left main coronary artery and patch arterioplasty with autologous pericardium after transection of the main pulmonary artery. The pulmonary artery was reconstructed with autologous pericardium and a piece of dacron patch in order to prevent coronary artery compression. This surgical approach resulted in successful clinical outcome.

Potential for Using 3D Technology to Image the Origins of the Coronary Arteries

When young patients present to the echocardiography laboratory with chest pain, one consideration is that there may be an anomalous coronary artery. For this reason, it is critical that the sonographer evaluate the origins of the coronary arteries and map them with color Doppler flow to ensure that the blood is going in the correct direction. Although this may sound simple, not all sonographers have been trained to image the coronary arteries in detail and map them as far as possible. This pilot study investigated the feasibility of using volume acquisition from the parasternal short-axis and apical views. The results demonstrated that coronary artery origins can be successfully identified in adults using reconstruction of 3D volume data sets without adding significant time to the examination.

Aberrant left coronary artery, modified unroofing technique, and patch angioplasty

BACKGROUND

We present a case of surgical correction of an aberrant left coronary artery arising from the right sinus of Valsalva.

METHOD

In order to prevent stenosis and kinking of the neo-ostium, modified unroofing technique was combined with patch angioplasty.

RESULTS

The clinical outcome was excellent with complete preservation of ventricular function, resolution of angina, and absence of aortic regurgitation.

CONCLUSION

Addition of patch angioplasty to the unroofing technique improves outcome.