Acute myocardial infarction presumambly embolic, in a patient with a mechanical aortic valve: a rare cause of non atherosclerotic coronary arterial occlusion

Abstract

Abstract We present a case of an acute myocardial infarction with ST segment elevation in a patient with a mechanical aortic valve prosthesis who had discontinued anticoagulant therapy. We performed a primary coronary intervention procedure, including thrombus aspiration as well as plain balloon angioplasty (low atmospheres), in order to restore coronary flow in left anterior descending artery as soon as possible. Review of the literature suggests that in such cases the diagnosis of the embolic origin of the acute coronary syndrome is assumed and can never been proved definitely. Thrombus aspiration must be included in the therapeutic strategy of these patients.