title: Left Anterior Descending Artery Myocardial Bridging: A Clinical Approach.
abstract: A myocardial bridge (MB) is the term for the muscle overlying the intramyocardial segment of the epicardial coronary artery (referred to as a tunneled artery). Although MBs can be found in any epicardial artery, most of them involve the left anterior descending artery. These congenital coronary anomalies have long been recognized anatomically, and are traditionally considered a benign condition; however, the association between myocardial ischemia and MBs has increased their clinical relevance. This review summarizes the prevalence, pathophysiology, and diagnostic findings, including morphological, functional assessment, and treatment of patients with MB involving the left anterior descending artery, suggesting a pragmatic clinical approach to this entity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy. Electronic address: giuseppe.tarantini.1@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tarantini
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Migliore
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Erasmus Medical Center University, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Radiology, Montréal Heart Institute, Universitè de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cademartiri
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fraccaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Sabino
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iliceto
mesh_terms: D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D053805:Fractional Flow Reserve, Myocardial / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D054084:Myocardial Bridging / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D062645:Percutaneous Coronary Intervention / Q000379:methods*; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods
keywords: fractional flow reserve; instantaneous wave-free ratio; intravascular imaging; percutaneous coronary intervention