[Angina pectoris in "coronary steal syndrome" caused by a coronary fistula in the left ventricle].
METHODS
A 55-year-old female patient reported left-sided chest pain at rest as well as during exercise, which recurred during the last three years before admission. Cardiovascular risk factors included hypercholesterolemia and smoking. The physical examination of the patient was unremarkable.


METHODS
The ECG at rest showed T-wave inversions in leads I, aVL, V3-V6 and ergometric exercise testing resulted in angina pectoris and descending ST-segments in leads V3-V6. Stress thallium 201 scintigraphy demonstrated a reversible perfusion deficit of the the anterior wall at peak exercise. The left ventricular angiogram and echocardiogram revealed normal end-diastolic dimensions and regular systolic contractions without signs of left ventricular hypertrophy. Selective coronary arteriography excluded hemodynamically relevant stenosis of the coronary arteries. A coronary artery fistula originating from a large, ectatic first diagonal branch with drainage into the left ventricle was observed.


METHODS
Because the patient rejected interventional therapy she was treated conservatively and follow-up investigations 3 and 4 years after arteriography revealed unchanged clinical symptomatology.


CONCLUSIONS
In this case a "coronary steal" phenomenon caused by the coronary fistula induced myocardial ischemia. Therefore if present congenital coronary anomalies have to be considered in patients with chest pain and normal coronary angiogram.
Gradaus
F
F
Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik B, Klinik für Kardiologie, Pneumologie und Angiologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf. Frank-ChrisSchoebel@uni-duesseldorf.de
Peters
A J
AJ
Schoebel
F C
FC
Gradaus
D
D
Leschke
M
M
Strauer
B E
BE
D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000209:etiology*; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003330:Coronary Vessel Anomalies / Q000150:complications*; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000002:abnormalities*; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013577:Syndrome; D016157:Vascular Fistula / Q000150:complications*
Angina pectoris bei koronarem Steal-Syndrom aufgrund einer Koronarfistel in den linken Ventrikel.