Congenital Anomalies of the Coronary Arteries Detected in Adulthood

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Although congenital anomalies of the coronary arteries are rare, which may cause serious clinical problems in diagnostic or surgical procedures, the accurate knowlegde and understanding of these are essential. We are to assess the clinical and angiographic characteristics of congenital anomalies of the coronary arteries detected in adulthhood. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed a total of 67 cases of primary congenital anomalies of the coronary arteries with particular emphasis in angiographic findings in corelation with the clinical and surgical findings, reviewing 16,099 coronary angiography performed during last 6 years in three institutes. RESULTS: The incidence of congenital anomalies of the coronary arteries detected in coronary angiography was 0.4% and all were primary anomalies, among which major anomalies were 53 cases(79%) and minor anomalies were 14 cases(21%). Twenty-nine cases had associated cardiac defects. Among them congenital heart disease were 10 cases(34%), valvular heart disease were 10 cases(34%), coronary atherosclerotic disease were 8 cases(28%) and hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy was 1 cases(4%). The coronary artery fistula were 40 cases, which was the most common anomaly among major group and the communication between coronary artery and bronchial artery were 6 cases, which was the most common one among minor group. Myocardial ischemia was observed in 49% of major and in 29% of minor anomalies. CONCLUSION: We are reporting 67 cases of the congenital anomalies of the coronary arteries detected in adulthood with the clinical and the angiographic characteristics. We suggest that new modified classification of the congenital coronary anomalies is necessary, because symptoms and signs of myocardial ischemia were observed in a significant number of patients among minoranomaly group.