title: Salvage extensive coronary thromboendarterectomy for a ruptured left anterior descending artery.
abstract: We describe a lifesaving emergent thromboendarterectomy of the entire left anterior descending artery in a 63-year old man. Four days earlier, he had undergone a coronary artery bypass grafting. The left anterior descending artery was not bypassed then due to severe diffuse disease and calcifications. After an uneventful recovery, syncope occurred during exercise. Emergency catheterization revealed patent grafts, but no flow over the left anterior descending artery. At rescue percutaneous coronary intervention, a perforation of the left anterior descending artery occurred, leading to cardiogenic shock. A successful thromboendarterectomy of the left anterior descending artery salvaged the patient's life.
authors: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Ziekenhuis Oost Limburg, Schiepse Bos 6, Genk, Belgium. herbert_de_praetere@hotmail.com
authors: Herbert
authors: H
authors: De Praetere
authors: Nicolas
authors: N
authors: Di Bari
authors: Herbert
authors: H
authors: Gutermann
authors: Christiaan
authors: C
authors: Van Kerrebroeck
authors: Robert A
authors: RA
authors: Dion
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000601:surgery*; D004630:Emergencies; D004691:Endarterectomy; D015444:Exercise; D006341:Heart Rupture / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012086:Reoperation; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D012770:Shock, Cardiogenic / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants