title: Recanalization of a chronic totally occluded left anterior descending artery after enhanced external counterpulsation therapy.
abstract: We present a case of a 52 y/o male with history of hypertension and high cholesterol who suffered an acute myocardial infarction. His catheterization revealed severe 3-vessel coronary artery disease with total occlusion of left anterior descending (LAD) artery at the mid segment with anterior and apical wall dyskinesia and estimated ejection fraction of 30%. After 3 years of medical therapy the patient had NYHA class II heart failure symptoms without angina. Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) therapy was offered as adjunctive therapy. After completing therapy patient started to develop angina and a new catheterization showed recanalization of LAD with TIMI I flow and normal ejection fraction without wall motion abnormalities. Patient underwent successful coronary artery bypass graft.
authors.affiliation: Section of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR.
authors.forename: Víctor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Salgado
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salgado
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Medina
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D054059:Coronary Occlusion / Q000601:surgery*; D015908:Counterpulsation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged