Surgical management of a giant left coronary artery aneurysm mimicking cardiac mass.

Giant Aneurysm of the Left Atrial Branch of the Left Circumflex Artery With Fistula

Coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) is an aortic catastrophe with low prevalence. Giant CAA is even more uncommon, requiring surgical intervention. Giant CAA usually originates from the proximal segments of the right coronary and the anterior descending arteries. Here we report a rare case of giant left CAA with fistula formation treated with successful surgery.

Resection of Giant Coronary Artery Aneurysms in a Takayasu's Arteritis Patient

Coronary artery aneurysms are defined as a focal dilatation exceeding 1.5 times the diameter of the adjacent normal segment. They are found in up to 5% of patients undergoing coronary angiography. Giant coronary artery aneurysms (GCAAs), typically defined as >20mm in diameter, with an incidence of ⁓0.02%. We present the case of an 82-year-old female who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting due to a giant right coronary artery aneurysm measuring 85mm, identified on preoperative contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT). The patient exhibited symptoms consistent with pericardial irritation secondary to aneurysms size and was found to have significant right heart compression. Surgical intervention included opening and resection of the aneurysmal sac and bypassing the affected segment using a saphenous vein graft. Intraoperatively, it was discovered that the aneurysm wall was dissected, with a high risk of rupture. This case highlights the importance of timely recognition and surgical management of GCAAs.

<p>Coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) is a rare entity, defined as localized dilation that exceeds the normal vessel diameter by a factor of 1.5. A giant CAA is described as a very large dilation, when diameter exceeds 20 mm. CAA has a preva-lence of 0.02% [Markis 1976]. Different factors may lead to CAA formation, including Kawasaki disease, atherosclerosis, congenital malformations, autoimmune and infectious disor-ders, and percutaneous interventions [Hartnell 1985]. Man-agement of these patients remains controversial due to a lack of data from large series studies.</p><p>We reported a case of a young female patient, who pre-sented with an acute inferior infarction and was diagnosed with a giant right coronary artery (RCA) aneurysm. She underwent aneurysmectomy and revascularization on a beat-ing heart through a right lateral thoracotomy. Due to the minimally invasive nature of this procedure, the patient was able to recover quickly without substantial cosmetic changes.</p>

Patient: Male, 64-year-oldFinal Diagnosis: Huge coronary aneurysmSymptoms: Chest discomfort • dyspneaMedication: Losar 25 mg twice daily • Amlodipine 5 mg twice daily • Aspirin 80 mg daily • Atorovastatin 20 mg daily • Pantaprazole 20 mg dailyClinical Procedure: Coronary artery bypass graft surgerySpecialty: Cardiac Surgery • CardiologyObjective:Rare diseaseBackground:Giant coronary artery aneurysm (GCAA) is a rare disease, with an incidence of 0.02% in the general population. GCAA is defined as when the diameter of the coronary artery is more than 4 times the adjacent part or more than 8 mm. There are several causes of GCAA, with atherosclerosis being the most common. Patients with giant coronary artery aneurysms can be asymptomatic or develop chest pain, dyspnea, and palpitations. Complications of GCCA include myocardial infarction, thrombosis, and sudden death, so early treatment is necessary to prevent mortality. There is no standard surgical approach for a giant coronary artery aneurysm.Case Report:A 64-year-old man with hypertension, opium addiction, morbid obesity (body weight 151 kg and BMI 46), and benign prostate hyperplasia presented with a giant coronary aneurysm in coronary angiography. The patient underwent cardiac surgery, and a 42-mm coronary aneurysm was detected. The aneurysm had many orifices that opened to the left main coronary artery, left circumflex artery, LAD, the diagonal branch of the LAD, and the septal branch of the LAD. Aneurysmectomy and coronary artery bypass graft were successfully performed.Conclusions:Giant coronary artery aneurysms are rare. Patients with giant coronary artery aneurysms may experience sudden death due to myocardial infarction and other cardiovascular complications due to ischemia. Because it is rare, there is no standard surgical approach for a giant coronary artery aneurysm. Further studies need to focus on standardized surgical management of patients with giant coronary artery aneurysms.

We report a case of sudden death due to rupture of a giant right coronary artery aneurysm, likely a sequela of remote Kawasaki disease, in a young woman with Down syndrome. The decedent was a 28 year old female with trisomy 21 who was found deceased in the backyard pool. An autopsy disclosed an enlarged heart with 400 ml of clotted blood in the pericardial sac and undiagnosed giant coronary artery aneurysms involving the left anterior descending, left circumflex, and right coronary artery, with rupture of the latter artery. The histologic findings were consistent with remote Kawasaki disease. Giant coronary artery aneurysms are a rare complication of Kawasaki disease, infectious vasculitis, and atherosclerosis, among other causes. While Kawasaki disease is typically considered a disease of children, late-onset complications should be considered in the differential diagnosis of young adults with myocardial infarction, coronary aneurysm, or sudden death.

BackgroundGiant coronary artery aneurysms are rare conditions with potentially devastating consequences. We report a case of the largest documented giant right coronary artery (RCA) aneurysm to date.Case presentationA 57-year-old male patient visited our outpatient clinic for abdominal pain and exertional dyspnea. Computed tomography identified a 10.2 × 9.8 cm RCA aneurysm with RCA pressure waves were similar to aortic pressures. After discussion by the cardiac team, elective resection with ligation of the proximal and distal ends of the RCA was performed due to the presence of adequate collaterals.ConclusionWe highlight the challenges related to the management of patients presenting with giant coronary artery aneurysms. Optimal management strategies and outcomes for such rare cardiovascular conditions implies the need for standardised management guidelines.

Bilateral congenital coronary artery fistulae complicated with a giant coronary artery aneurysm is a very rare condition. A coronary artery aneurysm is a coronary artery dilatation that exceeds the diameter of normal adjacent segments or the diameter of the patient's largest coronary vessel by 1.5 times. The complications associated with a coronary artery aneurysm include thrombosis, embolization, rupture, vasospasm, congestive heart failure and infectious endocarditis. We report on a 63-year-old woman presenting with severe heart failure related to bilateral coronary artery fistulae. A giant coronary aneurysm was noted in the right coronary artery, and a tortuous coronary artery fistula was noted in the left coronary artery. Symptoms were relieved after surgical intervention for bilateral coronary artery fistulae.

Giant coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) is a rare disorder, defined as coronary artery dilatation, in which the diameter of the coronary artery exceeds more than 1.5 times of its normal size. The most common cause of CAA is coronary atherosclerosis for adults and Kawasaki disease (KD) for children and adolescents (especially for the giant CAA that occurred in adolescence). CAA complications include thrombus, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), vasospasm, rupture, ischemia, heart failure, and arrhythmia. So, antithrombotic therapy is crucial for patients with giant CAA.Although giant CAA has been reported in some cases before, few of these cases described antithrombotic therapy particularly, let alone informed direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) use in these patients. Here, we report a case of a young patient with acute coronary artery disease caused by huge CAA. Rivaroxaban combined with clopidogrel was used for his antithrombotic therapy. Moreover, we reviewed the existing reports to provide an overview of antithrombotic treatment in patients with giant CAA.

Introduction: The existence of a coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) can pose significant risk for death. It can cause thrombosis, dissection, rupture or myocardial infarction. An exceedingly rare involvement of the left main coronary artery (LMCA), particularly giant-sized is even more catastrophic, a finding seen in only 0.1% of patients. Furthermore, co-existence with significant stenotic coronary artery disease (CAD) portends grim survival. Owing to the rarity of this combination, no data is available locally and only limited case reports are documented internationally. Hence, no consensus guidelines have been published yet. This paper aims to contribute to the sparse medical knowledge on the treatment approach and management of LMCA aneurysm with concomitant CAD. Case Presentation: A 62-year-old male, Filipino, hypertensive and hyperlipidemic sought consult due to one-year exertional chest pain. Coronary angiogram revealed the LMCA to be a diffusely aneurysmal, large-sized vessel measuring 9.7 mm x 7.9 mm with a significant two-vessel CAD affecting the proximal left anterior descending (LAD) and right coronary artery (RCA). As per multidisciplinary decision, the patient underwent surgical revascularization via cardiopulmonary bypass graft (CABG) addressing the CAD and LMCA aneurysm managed conservatively through guideline-directed medical therapy. The patient’s course of treatment was uneventful. He returned for follow-ups for three months post-surgery and remained symptom-free. Discussion: Giant coronary artery aneurysms (GCAA) are vessel dilatations that exceed 4x the diameter of a normal adjacent artery. The patient had a unique case of GCAA involving the LMCA combined with two-vessel CAD. Few studies have documented a medical or surgical approach and long-term outcomes are unknown. Without sufficient evidence-based guidelines, the multidisciplinary decision was to perform CABG and manage the LMCA aneurysm conservatively. Conclusion: Due to extremely limited information available on the giant LMCA aneurysm natural history, definitive management remains controversial. A multidisciplinary team approach is highly recommended for patient-specific needs to achieve favorable outcome and ensure survival. Keywords: Giant left main artery aneurysm, CABG, CAD

Background: The Etanercept as Adjunctive Treatment for Acute Kawasaki Disease study, a phase 3 randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial, evaluated etanercept, a TNF-alpha inhibitor, as an adjunct to IVIg for Kawasaki Disease (KD). In children presenting with coronary artery (CA) aneurysm, etanercept resulted in reduction in progression of CA dilation and earlier aneurysm regression compared to placebo. Following study conclusion, our institution implemented etanercept as a first line IVIg adjunctive treatment for patients presenting with early CA aneurysm formation. Hypothesis: Real world use with etanercept as adjunct to IVIg in children with KD and CA aneurysm shows high patient compliance, is safe and results in early CA regression. Methods: We reviewed charts and echocardiograms for all children admitted to Seattle Children’s Hospital from 5/2019 to 4/2024 and treated with etanercept for KD with CA aneurysms at presentation (Z-score ≥2.5 per AHA aneurysm definition). Etanercept is injected subcutaneously at 0.8 mg/kg with IVIg at diagnosis and then with 2 repeat weekly doses at outpatient visits. Results: Thirty-six patients with KD and CA aneurysms received at least one dose of etanercept. Sixteen (44%) were <1 year of age, 17 (47%) were diagnosed with incomplete KD and 5 (14%) were ‘IVIg refractory.’ Four patients responded to a second IVIg dose and two patients received additional biologic agents. Thirty-two patients completed the 3-dose course of etanercept, with outpatient doses administered 6.6±1.5 days (mean±SD) and 13.5±2.3 days after the first. Seven patients had giant CA aneurysms (Z-score ≥10) requiring anticoagulation. In patients with giant aneurysms and at least 6-month follow-up, all aneurysms regressed to below the threshold for requiring anticoagulation beyond aspirin. Of 31 children with long-term follow-up echocardiograms available, 19 had complete resolution (Z-score <2.5) of CA dilation by 6 months, 22 by 1 year, and 29 by 2-year follow-up. No severe or serious adverse events were attributed to etanercept. Conclusions: Etanercept for KD with early CA aneurysms was delivered safely and with high compliance. CA aneurysm regression occurred in most patients with marked reduction in giant CA aneurysms by 6 months. These real-world data support the use of etanercept as an intensification therapy for preventing persistence of CA aneurysms in KD.

Objective: To summarize the clinical features, middle-and long-term prognosis of Kawasaki disease (KD) with giant coronary artery aneurysm (GCAA). Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, a cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 101 KD children with GCAA in the KD with GCAA database established by Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University in 2004. GCAA was diagnosed as coronary artery absolute lumen diameter ≥8.0 mm. All patients were followed up regularly. The endpoint was the time of last follow-up or the death time. T test or χ2 test was used for comparison between groups. Results: A total of 101 KD children with GCAA were enrolled, including 82 males (81.2%) and 19 females (18.8%). The age of disease onset was 2.5 (1.0, 4.5) years. The follow-up duration was 4.5 (2.7, 7.5) years, with a longest of 19 years. All children received routine treatment with aspirin and warfarin, and clopidogrel was added in severe cases. At the end of follow-up, 13 cases (12.9%) had cardiac enlargement, 11 cases (10.9%) developed heart failure, 13 cases (12.9%) experienced myocardial infarction, 2 cases (2.0%) underwent coronary artery bypass graft and 6 cases (5.9%) died. A total of 170 coronary arteries were involved, including 24 (14.1%) GCAAs on the main trunk of left coronary artery, 10 (5.9%) GCAAs on left circumflex, 57 (33.5%) GCAAs on left anterior descending, 78 (45.9%) GCAAs on the middle segments of right coronary artery, and 1 (0.6%) GCAA in the distal segments of right coronary artery. Eleven cases (10.9%) recovered with the coronary artery absolute lumen diameter of all GCAAs below 4.0 mm. Among 170 branches with GCAAs, 28 (16.5%) regressed below 4.0 mm. No significant difference was found in the regression rates between right and left GCAA (18.7% (17/91) vs. 13.9% (11/79), χ²=2.473, P=0.116). There was no statistically significant difference in retraction between unilateral GCAA and bilateral GCAA (16.1% (9/56) vs. 4.4% (2/45), χ2=2.381, P=0.123). Conclusions: GCAA of KD occurred more common in the middle segments of right and left anterior descending coronary arteries. The incidence of adverse cardiac events and the mortality rate in children with GCAA complicated with KD was high. Their long-term prognosis was poor.

Objective To observe the mid- and long-term changes of giant coronary artery aneurysm(GCAA) caused by Kawasaki disease(KD) and to provide preventive basis for cardiac accidents of KD-affected adolescents. Methods Twelve cases of KD with GCAA [10 boys, 2 girls; 1-10 years old; mean age: (4.05±2.50) years old] were followed up by coronary angiography (CAG), echocardiography and electrocardiogram for 2-10 years to and the changes of the coronary artery lesion were analyzed. Results The findings showed that 2 cases were single coronary artery aneurysm and 10 cases had multiple coronary artery aneurysms on both sides by echocardiography.Among them 8 cases showed segmental stenosis in the right coronary artery with varying degrees by coronary angiography, including 3 cases with coronary recanalization after right coronary artery complete occlusion, 4 cases with segmental local stenosis, and 1 case with thrombotic occlusion and tufted neovascularization.And in 9 cases of coronary artery aneurysms were still present after treatment, and among them the blood flow filling in 4 cases was slowing down in the left anterior descending arteries.Only 1 case with coronary artery aneurysms on both sides became expanded mildly, without stenosis or other lesions.In this observation, all of the cases had no symptoms or any activity limitation.One case was found pathologic Q wave and the other 11 cases left normal by resting electrocardiogram.The results of resting electrocardiogram in 11 cases were normal by pharmacologic stress electrocardiogram except that 1 case showed multi-lead S-T segment depression and T wave flat.Compared with coronary angiography in the same period, 12 cases showed proximal morphological changes in coronary artery and 5 cases with wall motion abnormalities by echocardiography.This study showed that echocardiography was not sensitive enough for mid- and distal-stenosis examination because it failed to provide any useful information for 4 cases affected by segmental stenosis and neovascularization. Conclusions The GCAA caused by KD will be lasting for a long time after acute stage, including persisting GCAA, recovering GCAA, occlusion, stenosis and neovascularization.The sensitivity of echocardiography and electrocardiogram are not enough to find coronary morphology and function of KD sequelae damages.CAG is important for follow-up observations of KD with GCAA. Key words: Kawasaki disease; Giant coronary artery aneurysm; Coronary angiography; Follow-up

A coronary artery aneurysm is uncommon and frequently asymptomatic. This report presents a surgical case of a giant coronary artery aneurysm complicated by acute myocardial infarction. A 26-year-old man with sudden chest pain was referred to our hospital. Myocardial infarction was suspected, and emergency coronary angiography was performed. A giant coronary aneurysm was found in the mid-portion of the right coronary artery. The aneurysm, which was thrombosis-occluded, was successfully resected, and the right coronary artery was anastomosed in an end-to-end fashion. Although the strategy for treating a coronary artery aneurysm without myocardial ischemia remains controversial, surgical intervention should be considered in cases with a giant coronary artery aneurysm, even if asymptomatic, provided the surgical risk is low.