title: Unusual right coronary artery anomaly with major implication during cardiac operations.
abstract: We report a case in which an unrevealed high origin of the right coronary artery (almost 4 cm above the left coronary sinus) led to major complications during a routine atrial septal defect closure. We stress that, in absence of preoperative coronary angiography, coronary artery anomalies should always be considered and minimal ascending aorta manipulation and antegrade/ retrograde myocardial protection should be recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gaudino
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Glieca
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bruno
authors.forename: F L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Piancone
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alessandrini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Possati
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001011:Aorta / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D003330:Coronary Vessel Anomalies / Q000150:complications*; D006324:Heart Arrest, Induced; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D008297:Male; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000209:etiology; D011300:Preoperative Care