"Steal" collaterals: an echocardiographic diagnostic marker for anomalous origin of the left main coronary artery from the pulmonary artery in the adult.
Anomalous origin of the left main coronary artery from the pulmonary artery, also known as Bland-White-Garland syndrome, is a rare malformation. Few patients survive past childhood without surgical repair, and up to 90% die suddenly at a mean age of 35 years. We describe a case of a 60-year-old patient with anomalous origin of the left main coronary artery from the pulmonary artery in which 2-dimensional and color flow Doppler visualization of the intercoronary (so-called "steal") collaterals was the first marker that alerted the examiner to the possibility of this diagnosis, subsequently guided step-by-step the echocardiographic approach.
Pisacane
Carlo
C
Department of Cardiology, Second University of Naples, Monaldi Hospital, Naples, Italy. pisacane@aliceposta.it
Pinto
Salvatore Comenale
SC
De Gregorio
Paola
P
Pisacane
Francesca
F
Monda
Vittorio
V
Caso
Pio
P
Calabrò
Raffaele
R
D003097:Collateral Circulation; D003330:Coronary Vessel Anomalies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*