Coronary Artery Anomalies: A Short Case Series and Current Review

Abstract

Coronary artery anomalies (CAAs) are rare congenital cardiovascular defects that can present in various ways depending on the origin, course, and termination of the abnormal coronary artery fistula. It is sometimes detected incidentally during procedures such as coronary angiography or autopsies. While adults with this condition are often asymptomatic, some may experience angina, congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, ventricular aneurysms, or sudden cardiac death (SCD). In fact, it is the second leading cause of SCD among young athletes and requires more studies to handle such patients efficiently. To illustrate the many possible manifestations of this unusual diagnosis, we present a series of five cases. We have also reviewed the different varieties of this rare congenital anomaly and discussed the latest diagnostic tests and treatment plans.

A Cadaveric Case Report of a Double Right Coronary Artery and Its Clinical Implications

“…Almost all reports of a double RCA are found incidentally on coronary angiography [7,10]. While most angiographic cases of double RCA describe an aRCA with a course similar to what we have observed in the present case, this report may be the only cadaveric report that provides additional anatomical insights, including photographic depiction of the course of the arteries and the shape of the internal septum.…”

Anomalous origin of the circumflex artery from the right pulmonary artery

“…The term congenital coronary artery anomaly covers an array of anatomic variations, from anomalous origins to variations in termination [ 4 , 8 ]. A basic understanding of coronary artery embryology is important to better understand these anomalies.…”

The Role of Coronary CT Angiography in the Evaluation of Dual Left Anterior Descending Artery Prevalence and Subtypes: A Retrospective Multicenter Study

“…The four common courses are interarterial (between the aorta and the pulmonary artery), retroaortic, prepulmonic or septal (subpulmonic) [25]. It is important to know which course is taken by the two LAD; while retroaortic, prepulmonic and septal courses seem to be benign, an interatrial course is associated with a SCD, hence, there is an indication for surgical correction in case of evidence of myocardial ischemia or previous syncope [26][27][28][29]. During a CCA, there is a risk of mistaking a coronary anomaly, especially when the long LAD originates from the opposite coronary sinus, and this affects the result of the treatment.…”