Anomalous Aortic Origin of the Coronary Arteries - State of the Art Management and Surgical Techniques

Anomalous Aortic Origin of a Coronary Artery

BACKGROUND

Although anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery (AAOCA) is associated with risk of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), there is a spectrum of disease, with the appropriate management for many remaining unclear. Increasing data warrant review for an updated perspective on management.

METHODS

A panel of congenital cardiac surgeons, cardiologists, and imaging practitioners reviewed the current literature related to AAOCA and its management. Survey of relevant publications from 2010 to the present in PubMed was performed.

RESULTS

The prevalence of AAOCA is 0.4% to 0.8%. Anomalous left coronary artery is 3 to 8 times less common than anomalous right coronary, but carries a much higher risk of SCA. Nevertheless, anomalous right coronary is not completely benign; 10% demonstrate ischemia, and it remains an important cause of SCA. Decision-making regarding which patients should be recommended for surgical intervention includes determining anatomic features associated with ischemia, evidence of ischemia on provocative testing, and concerning cardiovascular symptoms. Ischemia testing continues to prove challenging with low sensitivity and specificity, but the utility of new modalities is an active area of research. Surgical interventions focus on creating an unobstructed path for blood flow and choosing the appropriate surgical technique given the anatomy to accomplish this. Nontrivial morbidity has been reported with surgery, including new-onset ischemia.

CONCLUSIONS

A proportion of patients with AAOCA demonstrate features and ischemia that warrant surgical intervention. Continued work remains to improve the ability to detect inducible ischemia, to risk stratify these patients, and to provide guidance in terms of which patients warrant surgical intervention.

Repeat Repair After Translocation of an Anomalous Left Coronary Artery

We repaired a left anomalous aortic origin of coronary artery using coronary ostium translocation/reimplantation. Repeat repair was required due to suboptimal flow pattern in postoperative transesophageal echocardiography, which was confirmed with coronary angiography. We emphasize the importance of early recognition, diagnosis, and intervention to deal with a problem with the coronary repair.

High-Risk Anomalous Aortic Origin of the Left Coronary Artery: Consecutive Admissions Presenting With Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Anomalous aortic origin of the left coronary artery (AAOLCA) confers high risk for sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). This series aims to describe consecutive admissions with interarterial AAOLCA presenting with SCA and distinct clinical trajectories. An eight-year-old boy collapsed at school and received 10-min of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation prior to return of spontaneous circulation. He had no end-organ dysfunction and underwent uneventful coronary unroofing. In contrast, a 14-year-old boy presented with collapse while jogging. He received 40-min of CPR prior to extracorporeal membranous oxygenation cannulation with multisystem dysfunction and persistent severely depressed left ventricular function. He is now rehabilitating following uneventful orthotropic heart transplantation. These cases illustrate the diverse outcomes of AAOLCA with SCA following exertional syncope.

Anomalous Coronary Arteries: A State-of-the-Art Approach

Congenital coronary anomalies are not an infrequent occurrence and their clinical presentation typically occurs during early years, though may be manifested only in adulthood. In the setting of anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery, this is particularly concerning as it inflicts sudden loss of healthy young lives. Risk stratification remains a challenge and so does the best management decision-making in these patients, particularly if asymptomatic. Standardized approach to evaluation and management, with careful data collection and collaboration among centers, will likely impact future outcomes in this patient population, thus allowing for exercise participation and healthier lives.

Anomalous Coronary Arteries: A State-of-the-Art Approach

Congenital coronary anomalies are not an infrequent occurrence and their clinical presentation typically occurs during early years, though may be manifested only in adulthood. In the setting of anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery, this is particularly concerning as it inflicts sudden loss of healthy young lives. Risk stratification remains a challenge and so does the best management decision-making in these patients, particularly if asymptomatic. Standardized approach to evaluation and management, with careful data collection and collaboration among centers, will likely impact future outcomes in this patient population, thus allowing for exercise participation and healthier lives.

Trends in surgical management of anomalous aortic origin of the coronary artery over 2 decades

Objective

To evaluate outcomes of patients undergoing surgery for anomalous aortic origin of the coronary artery (AAOCA) at a tertiary care center and determine the influences of a coronary artery program on management strategies and outcomes.

Methods

This retrospective review of consecutive surgical patients who had isolated AAOCA at a tertiary care center between August 1, 1999, and October 31, 2022, compared patient characteristics, interventional timing, and surgical strategies before and after program inception in 2018. Comparisons between time periods and anatomical subgroups were performed using Fisher exact and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests.

Results

Of 149 surgical AAOCA patients, 102 (69%) had AAO of the right coronary artery. Compared with AAO of the left coronary artery (AAOLCA), AAO of the right coronary artery (AAORCA) was associated with greater athletic participation (intramural, varsity, and college-level) (74% vs 43%; P < .001) and preoperative functional imaging (72% vs 49%; P = .01), but were less likely to have ischemic changes on functional imaging (5% vs 23%; P = .03) or any postoperative complications (7% vs 19%; P = .04). Moderate or greater aortic insufficiency occurred postoperatively in 1 (1%) of AAORCA and 1 (3%) of AAOLCA patients. After the coronary artery program inception, there was an increase among patients with AAOCA undergoing preoperative computed tomography angiography (pre-2018: 39 out of 98 [40%] vs post-2018: 48 out of 51 [94%]; P < .001) and a decrease in isolated AAOCA unroofing procedures performed (30 [31%] vs 5 [10%]; P = .004).

Conclusions

Surgical management of AAOCA evolved over time, and can be achieved with low instance of postoperative aortic insufficiency. Establishment of a coronary artery program has streamlined care.

Anomalous Aortic Origin of Coronary Arteries in Children: Postoperative High-risk Anatomic Features

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to assess postoperative presumed high-risk anatomic features (HRAFs) by using computed tomographic angiography (CTA) in patients with anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery (AAOCA) after surgical unroofing vs transection and reimplantation (TAR) if unroofing was thought to provide unsatisfactory results.

METHODS

The study included 62 children with postoperative CTA performed at a median of 3 months (interquartile range, 3-4 months) after unroofing (n = 45) and TAR (n = 17). HRAFs included slitlike ostium, intramural course, acute angle takeoff (<45^o), interarterial course, proximal stenosis >50%, or course through a thickened intercoronary pillar.

RESULTS

Median age at surgery was 13.8 years (interquartile range, 10.5-15.8 years). None of the patients had a slitlike ostium or an intramural course on postoperative CTA. Acute takeoff was seen in 100% after unroofing and in 2 of 17 (12%) after TAR (P < .001). After unroofing, the interarterial course improved to 35 of 45 (78%) from 43 of 45 (96%) (P = .003), and a thickened intercoronary pillar improved to 10 of 45 (22%) from 22 of 45 (49%) (P = .0001), compared with none seen after TAR. Preoperative intramural length <5 mm was associated with a postoperative thickened intercoronary pillar in right AAOCA after unroofing (P = .0004). Severe coronary stenosis occurred in 2 of 17 (12%) after TAR, and both patients needed urgent revision procedures. All patients except 2 (97%) returned to exercise activities at a median follow-up of 4.9 years (range, 0.6-9.2 years).

CONCLUSIONS

The slitlike ostium and intramural course resolved in all patients. Residual acute angle takeoff, an interarterial course, and mild coronary narrowing related to a thickened intercoronary pillar were common after unroofing. TAR allows resolution of all HRAFs, although severe narrowing requiring surgical revision happened only in TAR. Long-term studies are needed to understand the clinical significance of these residual presumed HRAFs.