Managing practical issues with percutaneous treatment of spontaneous coronary artery dissection in the cardiac catheterization laboratory: An interesting case report

Abstract

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare condition and uncommon cause of acute coronary syndrome which is associated with high acute phase mortality with an estimated prevalence of approximately 0.7%. SCAD is known to occur more commonly in young women during pregnancy or postpartum period, and in most cases, it involves a single coronary artery. It has also been reported in patients with atherosclerosis. SCAD is generally treated by percutaneous intervention and stenting. While stenting a segment of the right coronary artery (RCA) with dissection, opening the balloon in the false lumen or placing a stent in the false plane can lead to abrupt closure of the RCA leading to on table catastrophe, thereby confirming that we are in the true lumen is of pivotal importance. Simple maneuvers to prevent this error can be lifesaving. In this article, we have presented a few practical measures to deal with this dilemma in the background of a patient who was found to have spontaneous spiral dissection of the RCA while being evaluated for angina.