Giant right coronary artery aneurysm. case report

Introduction: Coronary aneurysms are rare and are linked to drug abuse; symptomatology depends on the coronary anatomy. This is a case of acute coronary syndrome associated with a giant right coronary aneurysm. Case description: A 40-year-old male, with history of heroin and crack use since age 20, attended consultation due to dyspnea, stable angina and diaphoresis. An electrocardiogram showed ST segment overlay on the underside and troponin problems. A coronary catheterization was performed, which revealed apparent inconclusive aorta-to-right atrium fistula. Based on the findings, angiotomography and magnetic resonance imaging were performed, finding a giant right coronary aneurysm. The aneurysm was resected using extracorporeal circuit, femoral cannulation, moderate hypothermia, aortic cross-clamping and cardioplegia, and the right coronary artery was revascularized with the left internal saphenous vein. The patient had a satisfactory postoperative period and was discharged after 7 days. Conclusion: There is an important association between drug use and the development of coronary aneurysms. Aneurysm size makes diagnosis difficult, so complementary studies are necessary to establish a differential diagnosis. An appropriate surgical approach allows for a complete resection of the aneurysm and optimal coronary revascularization.

Introducción. La presentación de aneurismas coronarios es rara, sin embargo se asocian al abuso de drogas; su sintomatología depende de la anatomía coronaria. Se presenta el caso de un síndrome coronario agudo asociado a un aneurisma gigante de la arteria coronaria derecha. Presentación del caso. Paciente masculino de 40 años con antecedente de consumo de heroína y crack desde los 20 años, quien consultó por disnea, angina estable y diaforesis. El electrocardiograma evidenció supradesnivel del segmento ST en cara inferior y elevación de troponinas, por lo que se realizó cateterismo coronario que reveló aparente fístula aorto-atrial derecha no concluyente. Dados los hallazgos, se decidió realizar angiotomografía y resonancia magnética que mostraron aneurisma gigante de arteria coronaria derecha. Se realizó resección de aneurisma con circulación extracorpórea, canulación femoral, hipotermia moderada, pinzamiento aórtico y cardioplejia, y se revascularizó la arteria coronaria derecha con vena safena interna izquierda. El paciente tuvo posoperatorio satisfactorio y se le dio de alta a los 7 días. Conclusiones. El tamaño del aneurisma puede dificultar su diagnóstico, por lo que estudios complementarios son útiles para establecer un diagnóstico diferencial. El abordaje quirúrgico adecuado permite realizar una resección completa del aneurisma y una revascularización coronaria óptima.

Giant right coronary artery aneurysm

ABSTRACT Introduction: Coronary aneurysms are rare and are linked to drug abuse; symptomatology depends on the coronary anatomy. This is a case of acute coronary syndrome associated with a giant right coronary aneurysm. Case description: A 40-year-old male, with history of heroin and crack use since age 20, attended consultation due to dyspnea, stable angina and diaphoresis. An electrocardiogram showed ST segment overlay on the underside and troponin problems. A coronary catheterization was performed, which revealed apparent inconclusive aorta-to-right atrium fistula. Based on the findings, angiotomography and magnetic resonance imaging were performed, finding a giant right coronary aneurysm. The aneurysm was resected using extracorporeal circuit, femoral cannulation, moderate hypothermia, aortic cross-clamping and cardioplegia, and the right coronary artery was revascularized with the left internal saphenous vein. The patient had a satisfactory postoperative period and was discharged after 7 days. Conclusion: There is an important association between drug use and the development of coronary aneurysms. Aneurysm size makes diagnosis difficult, so complementary studies are necessary to establish a differential diagnosis. An appropriate surgical approach allows for a complete resection of the aneurysm and optimal coronary revascularization.

RESUMEN Introducción. La presentación de aneurismas coronarios es rara, sin embargo se asocian al abuso de drogas; su sintomatología depende de la anatomía coronaria. Se presenta el caso de un síndrome coronario agudo asociado a un aneurisma gigante de la arteria coronaria derecha. Presentación del caso. Paciente masculino de 40 años con antecedente de consumo de heroína y crack desde los 20 años, quien consultó por disnea, angina estable y diaforesis. El electrocardiograma evidenció supradesnivel del segmento ST en cara inferior y elevación de troponinas, por lo que se realizó cateterismo coronario que reveló aparente fístula aorto-atrial derecha no concluyente. Dados los hallazgos, se decidió realizar angiotomografía y resonancia magnética que mostraron aneurisma gigante de arteria coronaria derecha. Se realizó resección de aneurisma con circulación extracorpórea, canulación femoral, hipotermia moderada, pinzamiento aórtico y cardioplejia, y se revascularizó la arteria coronaria derecha con vena safena interna izquierda. El paciente tuvo posoperatorio satisfactorio y se le dio de alta a los 7 días. Conclusiones. El tamaño del aneurisma puede dificultar su diagnóstico, por lo que estudios complementarios son útiles para establecer un diagnóstico diferencial. El abordaje quirúrgico adecuado permite realizar una resección completa del aneurisma y una revascularización coronaria óptima.

Spinal Cord Electrical Stimulation for Refractory Angina Treatment

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the main cause of death worldwide, including in Brazil. Angina pectoris is a challenging disease because its clinical manifestation is not always related to the degree of obstruction. Visceral pain fromany source can be totally disabling. It influences all aspects of the life of a patient and it can be one of the main causes of absence from work and of family disruption. Spinal cord electrical stimulation (SCES) has been traditionally applied for the treatment of neuropathic pain, with good to excellent results. Visceral pain syndrome can be as debilitating and disabling as somatic or neuropathic pain; however, there seems to be a lack of consensus on the appropriate treatment and strategies for these disorders. Themajor difference of SCES for visceral pain, compared to postlaminectomy syndrome or to regional complex syndrome, is the number of stimulated dermatomes. In most viscera, the somatotopic arrangement has two to four medullar levels, sometimes requiring laterality. After reviewing the literature, we have concluded that SCES is now a viable, low-risk option with satisfactory results for the treatment of neuropathic and visceral pain; therefore, it can be used in refractory angina after the failure of standard therapy. However, further studies are required to increase the application and efficacy of this procedure in the clinical practice.