Spontaneous, Postpartum Coronary Artery Dissection and Cardiogenic Shock with Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Assisted Recovery in a 30-Year-Old Patient

Pathophysiology, Diagnosis and Treatment of Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection in Peripartum Women

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an infrequent cause of nonobstructive ischemic heart disease in previously healthy young women and therefore is not usually considered in differential diagnoses. The overall incidence of SCAD in angiographic series is between 0.28 and 1.1%, with a clear predominance in young, healthy women (70%) of whom approximately 30% are in the postpartum period. In the United Kingdom, between 2008 and 2012, SCAD was the cause of 27% of acute myocardial infarctions during pregnancy, with a prevalence of 1.81 per 100,000 pregnancies. Regarding the mechanism of arterial obstruction, this may be due to the appearance of an intramural hematoma or to a tear in the intima of the arteries, both spontaneously. Although multiple diagnostic methods are available, it is suggested to include an appropriate anamnesis, an electrocardiogram in the first 10 min after admission to the service or the onset of symptoms, and subsequently, a CT angiography of the coronary arteries or urgent coronary angiography if the hemodynamic status of the patient allows it. Treatment should be individualized for each case; however, the appropriate approach is generally based on two fundamental pillars: conservative medical treatment with antiplatelet agents, beta-blockers, and nitrates, and invasive treatment with percutaneous coronary intervention for stent implantation or balloon angioplasty, if necessary.

A Fibromuscular Dysplasia Clinical Tetrad of Coronary Artery Dissection, Cardiogenic Shock, Carotid Dissection, and Stroke

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is a serious and underreported clinical entity strongly associated with fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD). The female predominance of FMD may predispose many women to coronary artery dissection or other similar vascular pathologies. We present a case of a young woman who presented with a clinical tetrad of spontaneous coronary artery dissection, cardiogenic shock requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, internal carotid dissections, and subacute cerebellar infarct secondary to underlying FMD. The patient's clinical course and vascular pathology are discussed. A review of the relevant literature of previously published similar cases, the incidence of spontaneous coronary artery dissection, and issues in the clinical management of spontaneous coronary artery dissection are also included.

Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection of the Left Main Coronary Artery

Heart attacks in young populations are frequently misdiagnosed as reflux disease or anxiety. Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a coronary artery disease that classically manifests around the age of 45 years and has a fatal outcome if missed. Since it was first described in 1931, our understanding of SCAD has evolved tremendously, particularly with the advent of advanced coronary angiography. Electrocardiograms can show abnormality in the ST-segment, with an elevation of cardiac damage markers. The involvement of the coronary arteries is variable. The left main coronary artery is frequently reported as the main culprit. We are hereby reporting a case of SCAD in a young woman who presented with a heart attack. Particularly, her age is younger than the reported cases, cardiac catheterization revealed a left main artery dissection with a thrombolytic extension, and her complicated case was managed with coronary artery bypass and heart transplantation.

Extracorporeal Life Support in Pregnancy: A Systematic Review

Background The use of extracorporeal life support (ECLS) has expanded to include unique populations such as peripartum women. This systematic review aims to (1) quantify the number of cases and indications for ECLS in women during the peripartum period reported in the literature and (2) report maternal and fetal complications and outcomes associated with peripartum ECLS. Methods and Results This review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42018108142). MEDLINE, Embase, and CINAHL were searched for case reports, case series, and studies reporting cases of ECLS during the peripartum period that reported one or more of the following outcomes: maternal survival, maternal complications, fetal survival, and/or fetal complications. Qualitative assessment of 221 publications evaluated the number of cases, clinical details, and maternal and fetal outcomes of ECLS during the peripartum period. There were 358 women included and 68 reported fetal outcomes in cases where the mother was pregnant at the time of cannulation. The aggregate maternal survival at 30 days was 270 (75.4%) and at 1 year was 266 (74.3%); fetal survival was 44 (64.7%). The most common indications for ECLS overall in pregnancy included acute respiratory distress syndrome 177 (49.4%), cardiac failure 67 (18.7%), and cardiac arrest 57 (15.9%). The most common maternal complications included mild to moderate bleeding 66 (18.4%), severe bleeding requiring surgical intervention 48 (13.4%), and intracranial neurologic morbidity 19 (5.3%). The most commonly reported fetal complications included preterm delivery 33 (48.5%) and neonatal intensive care unit admission 19 (27.9%). Conclusions Reported rates of survival in ECLS in pregnant and postpartum women are high and major complications relatively low.

Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: Current State of the Science: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) has emerged as an important cause of acute coronary syndrome, myocardial infarction, and sudden death, particularly among young women and individuals with few conventional atherosclerotic risk factors. Patient-initiated research has spurred increased awareness of SCAD, and improved diagnostic capabilities and findings from large case series have led to changes in approaches to initial and long-term management and increasing evidence that SCAD not only is more common than previously believed but also must be evaluated and treated differently from atherosclerotic myocardial infarction. High rates of recurrent SCAD; its association with female sex, pregnancy, and physical and emotional stress triggers; and concurrent systemic arteriopathies, particularly fibromuscular dysplasia, highlight the differences in clinical characteristics of SCAD compared with atherosclerotic disease. Recent insights into the causes of, clinical course of, treatment options for, outcomes of, and associated conditions of SCAD and the many persistent knowledge gaps are presented.