title: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection.
abstract: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a relatively rare but important cause of acute coronary syndrome. The diagnosis is often made at autopsy. Risk factors include the peripartum period, oral contraceptive use, and atherosclerotic disease. SCAD must be considered every time a healthy young patient presents with an onset of acute myocardial ischemic syndrome. A timely diagnosis and intervention are mandatory as SCAD can cause sudden death. We describe two cases of SCAD, both treated successfully with emergency coronary artery bypass grafting using left internal mammary and radial arteries in the first case and the left internal mammary artery only for the second case.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Northern General Hospital, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK. kareemsal@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: Kareem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Salhiyyah
authors.forename: Haitham
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abunasra
authors.forename: Salman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Waqar
authors.forename: Nigel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wheeldon
authors.forename: Pradip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sarkar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D003323:Coronary Aneurysm / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D049590:Postpartum Period; D016896:Treatment Outcome