title: Spontaneous dissection of coronary artery in a patient with ascending aortic aneurysm and aortic valve regurgitation.
abstract: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is a rare cause of myocardial infarction associated with a significant high morbidity and mortality. It usually occurs in relatively young patients and it is frequently found at autopsy. We report a case of a 42-year-old woman, who underwent resection of subaortic diaphragm ten years earlier presenting with postero-lateral myocardial infarction. Coronary arteriography revealed a dissection of the left main stem extending distally to the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and circumflex artery (Cx); occlusion of the postero-lateral branch of the Cx; severe aortic valve regurgitation and ascending aortic aneurysm. She was successfully operated on in emergency and underwent myocardial revascularization and separate replacement of the aortic valve and the ascending aorta. In this specific case of coronary dissection and severe aortic regurgitation it is mandatory to perform surgery in emergency to limit infarction evolution and avert loss of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Di Bartolomeo
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pacini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nicolini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giancola
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pierangeli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001027:Aortography; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; D003323:Coronary Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery