Tunneled ("bridged") left anterior descending coronary artery in a newborn without clinical or morphologic evidence of myocardial ischemia.
Tunneled epicardial coronary arteries have been presumed congenital in origin, but morphologic or angiographic documentation of myocardial bridging at birth is lacking. This report describes a 42-day-old infant with a lengthy tunneled left anterior descending coronary artery observed at necropsy that produced no apparent clinical cardiac dysfunction during life despite sinus tachycardia. These observations support the concept that myocardial bridges may be congenital in origin, and suggest length of tunneling and tachycardia may not be adverse factors for myocardial bridges in infancy.
D001344:Autopsy; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology; D003330:Coronary Vessel Anomalies / Q000473:pathology*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*