Giant right coronary artery aneurysm presenting as a mediastinal mass

A challenging pacemaker implantation in the presence of a giant right coronary aneurysm compressing the right atrium

Giant coronary artery aneurysm is an uncommon disease, treated with surgical intervention or percutaneous coil embolization. A thrombosed aneurysm can cause extrinsic compression on the cardiac chambers, with potential hemodynamic effects and may cause problems when we need to implant a cardiac device. We present a case of difficult pacemaker implantation in a patient with 3 syncopes, first-degree AV block and complete left bundle branch block on electrocardiogram. The patient presented a giant aneurysm of the right coronary artery (85 x 90 mm), thrombosed, with right atrial compression. The pacemaker implantation was hampered by the difficulty of passing the lead through the compressed right atrium; indeed, only with   simultaneous echocardiographic and fluoroscopic guidance, was it possible to complete the procedure. This case demonstrates the utility of echocardiogram, in particular settings, in cardiac stimulation procedures.

A rare case of sudden death due to IgG4-related giant coronary artery aneurysms

Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a fibro-inflammatory condition that can affect many organs, either simultaneously or metachronously. In recent years, IgG4-related vascular complications of larger arteries such as the aorta and iliac arteries have been increasingly identified. Among vascular complications, coronary artery involvement in the forms of either periarteritis or coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs) has also been reported; however, are very rare in comparison. This case report presents a rare case of a sudden death due to occlusive thrombosis of IgG4-related giant CAAs measuring up to 10 cm in diameter, demonstrates their possible clinical progression, and shows how they can distort normal anatomy which may then pose challenges in the interpretation of postmortem-computed tomography scans. It also briefly discusses the diagnosis of IgG4-RD in arteries, both clinically and in the postmortem setting.

Multiple giant coronary artery aneurysms combined with right coronary artery-pulmonary artery fistula: a case report

Background

The combination of multiple giant coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs) and right coronary artery (RCA) to pulmonary artery (PA) fistula is extremely rare and the patients with CAAs may suffer from several fatal complications. We herein describe a 60-year-old female with hemodynamic instability who was diagnosed with multiple giant CAAs combined with RCA-PA fistula.

Case presentation

The patient, a 60-year-old female, presented to the emergency room because of progressive exertional chest distress and fatigue. The transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) and invasive coronary angiography confirmed the existence of multiple giant CAAs and RCA-PA fistula. Laboratory examinations for systemic vasculitis and infectious diseases demonstrated no abnormalities and work-up for childhood and family history were negative. We have performed a successful surgical treatment for this patient. The patient’s restrictive cardiac dysfunction was improved after debriding the advanced thrombi in aneurysm sac and ligating the fistulous vessel between the native RCA and PA. The postoperative pathologic examination of the aneurysmal wall revealed loss of smooth muscle cells in the media with local mucoid degeneration, no chronic inflammation, sclerosis and IgG4 were observed.

Conclusions

The treatment decision-making process should depend upon the patients’ specific situations. Our case suggests the surgical intervention should be accepted as the preferred treatment for giant CAAs with restrictive cardiac dysfunction.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12893-019-0547-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Giant Right Coronary Artery Aneurysm: A Case Report

Coronary artery aneurysms are not very uncommon but 'giant' coronary artery aneurysms are rare, with a reported prevalence of 0.02% to 0.2%. Coronary artery aneurysm may be symptomatic or asymptomatic depending on their size and location but it is very unusual for a giant coronary artery aneurysm to be asymptomatic. Here, we present a case in which the giant coronary artery aneurysm remained undiagnosed and asymptomatic for several years.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Incidentalomas: A Multimodality Imaging Case of Giant Right Coronary Aneurysm

Giant coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs) are defined as having a diameter of greater than 2 cm. We report a case of an 82-year-old male with severe aortic stenosis incidentally diagnosed with giant right coronary artery aneurysm (gRCAA) while undergoing evaluation for transcather aortic valve replacement (TAVR). It was causing a mass effect on the right cardiac chambers but was otherwise asymptomatic. Our patient was successfully treated with surgical excision of aneurysm with concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). The patient remained stable at discharge and on serial follow-ups for two years. In conclusion, due to the associated complication and increased risk of mortality with giant coronary aneurysms, we recommend surgical approach instead of medical management alone. We also call for evidence-based recommendations and guidelines for management of TAVR incidentalomas.

Surgical treatment of coronary artery aneurysms

INTRODUCTION

Coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) are rare. We present our experience with the surgical treatment of patients with CAAs.

METHODS

Between March 2000 and October 2016, 15 patients with CAA underwent surgery.

RESULTS

Mean age of patients was 60 ± 16 years and 47% (n = 7) were male. Kawasaki syndrome was present in two (13%) patients and 7% (n = 1) patients had Marfan syndrome. Isolated CAAs were found in 73% (n = 11) and involvement of multiple vessels was present in 27% (n = 4) of patients. Coronary arteries (CA) affected by aneurysms were: 19% (n = 4) left main stem, 33% (n = 7) left anterior descending, 14% (n = 3) left circumflex, and 33% (n = 7) right coronary artery. The majority of patients (93%, n = 14) were operated on pump with a mean cross-clamp time of 51 ± 23 min. 53% (n = 8) of patients received total arterial CA bypass grafting, while the remaining patients (47%, n = 7) received venous ± internal thoracic artery grafts. Resection/ligation of CAA was performed in 27% (n = 4) of patients. In-hospital mortality was 0% (n = 0). Follow-up was complete for 100% of patients and comprised a total of 80 patient-years. During follow-up, only one patient (7%) required re-intervention.

CONCLUSION

Surgical treatment of CAA has good short- and long-term results.

Coronary Artery Pseudoaneurysm due to Medial Mucoid Degeneration Mimicking an Intra-atrial Mass

Coronary artery aneurysms are frequently asymptomatic and may be difficult to diagnose by cardiac imaging. We herein present a case of a coronary artery aneurysm of the right coronary artery due to medial mucoid degeneration mimicking an intra-atrial mass on echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging, with the cause being diagnosed after surgery.

Giant coronary artery aneurysms: review and update

Giant coronary artery aneurysms are rare, with a reported prevalence of 0.02% to 0.2%. Causative factors include atherosclerosis, Takayasu arteritis, congenital disorders, Kawasaki disease, and percutaneous coronary intervention. Most giant coronary artery aneurysms are asymptomatic, but some patients present with angina pectoris, sudden death, fistula formation, pericardial tamponade, compression of surrounding structures, or congestive heart failure. Clinical sequelae include thrombus formation, embolization, fistula formation, and rupture. Surgical correction is generally accepted as the preferred treatment for giant coronary artery aneurysms. We present an illustrative case of a giant 70 × 40-mm coronary artery aneurysm in a 56-year-old man who declined surgery and died one month later. In addition, we provide a review of the medical literature on giant coronary artery aneurysms.

Giant coronary artery aneurysm seen on blood-pool study

An 81-year-old man was incidentally found to have a large pericardial cyst on a chest computed tomography. Before surgical removal, an echocardiogram demonstrated that the cyst was more likely a large (7.5 cm) right coronary arterial aneurysm. A cardiac blood-pool study demonstrated a blood-filled structure adjacent to the heart, roughly the same size as the combined size of both the right and left ventricles. Coronary angiography confirmed the presence of a large right coronary artery aneurysm. A coronary aneurysm should be considered when a blood-filled structure is seen adjacent to the heart on a multigated acquisition scan.

Giant coronary aneurysms exceeding 5 cm in size

Giant coronary artery aneurysms (gCAAs) with a diameter exceeding 5 cm are extremely rare. The pathomechanisms and therapeutical measures in such cases have been controversial topics of discussion. Twenty-seven patients with gCAAs exceeding 5 cm in size described in the literature were evaluated. A case with multiple gCAAs at our department was included in the analysis. Apart from atherosclerosis of all coronary arteries, a large (1.5 2.5 cm) left anterior descending coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) and a gCAA (10.6 9.2 cm) originating from the right coronary artery, the latter causing recurrent myocardial ischaemia with the occlusion of the peripheral right coronary artery and compressing the right cardiac cavities, were the pathological findings in our 43-year old male patient. gCAAs predominantly develop at the proximal right coronary artery. The majority of these aneurysms develop secondary to atherosclerotic lesions in young patients. We performed a successful surgical excision of the right gCAA, tightening of the left anterior descending artery aneurysm and concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting. A pathological examination confirmed advanced atherosclerosis. Microbiological examinations could find no signs of infectious causes. CAAs bear a significant risk of severe complications and have a high risk of mortality. A more aggressive surgical approach should be recommended.

Giant coronary artery aneurysms in a Japanese octogenarian - The oldest case of Kawasaki Disease?

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a leading cause of non-atherosclerotic coronary artery aneurysms and, less commonly, peripheral artery aneurysms. We report an 81-year-old Japanese man from Hawaii with a history of an abdominal aortic aneurysm, bilateral iliac aneurysms, and an ambiguous right atrial cystic mass. The patient developed new-onset atrial fibrillation during lithotripsy. Angiography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed giant coronary artery aneurysms of the right coronary artery (RCA) and left anterior descending artery, and a thoracic aortic aneurysm. The RCA aneurysm was greater than 2 inches in diameter at the time of operation. Although we cannot confirm whether the patient had KD during childhood, this is the most likely diagnosis in the absence of a connective tissue disorder, systemic vasculitis, or atherosclerotic risk factors. This patient may represent the oldest case of KD, predating the earliest known case by more than 20 years. This case sheds light on the historical epidemiology of KD and its clinical course, especially regarding late vascular sequelae.

A case of giant coronary artery aneurysm and literature review

A 40-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of an abnormal shadow on the left cardiac border on the chest roentgenogram at the regular medical health examination without any symptoms. A giant coronary artery aneurysm of left anterior descending artery with a maximum diameter of approximately 50 mm was detected with computed tomography and coronary angiography. The patient was treated and followed up medically. Four years later, the size of the coronary artery aneurysm became larger. Then resection of the coronary artery aneurysm and coronary artery bypass grafting were successfully performed. Coronary artery aneurysms are rare in adults and are usually found in association with Kawasaki disease, coronary atherosclerosis, and so on. We also review the literature of giant coronary artery aneurysms exceeding 50 mm in diameter.

Giant right coronary artery aneurysm presenting as a paracardiac mass

Coronary artery aneurysms, commonly atherosclerotic, are usually asymptomatic and can be diagnosed incidentally during investigation for ischemic heart disease or on autopsy. An asymptomatic giant right coronary artery aneurysm presenting as a paracardiac mass discovered on autopsy is reported here. Even though there was great concern due to its large size, complex atherosclerotic lesions, and potential obstruction of blood flow, it had no direct link to the cause of death. We also review the literature on giant right coronary artery aneurysms exceeding 5 cm in the last 10 years.

A case of recurrent myocardial infarction caused by a giant right coronary artery aneurysm

We report a rare case of a giant coronary artery aneurysm with recurrent myocardial infarction (MI) in a 52-year-old man. He was admitted with severe chest pain and was diagnosed with acute MI. Ten days after thrombolysis, a transthoracic echocardiogram demonstrated a spherical mass apposed to the outer wall of the right atrium. Computed tomography with angiography showed this mass to be a huge aneurysm of the right coronary artery with a maximal diameter of 4 cm and filled with mural thrombus. Surgical resection of the aneurysm and coronary arterial bypass grafting were recommended. On day 60, while the patient awaited surgical treatment, recurrent MI caused by thrombotic occlusion occurred in the aneurysm site despite anticoagulant therapy. Two days after thrombolytic therapy, he underwent coronary artery bypass grafting and aneurysmal resection.

Giant coronary artery aneurysm causing superior vena cava syndrome and congestive heart failure

Coronary artery aneurysms are defined as localized coronary artery dilations >1.5 times the diameter of the adjacent segments. In adults, they are commonly of atherosclerotic origin and are usually asymptomatic. This is the first case report of a coronary artery aneurysm causing superior vena cava syndrome and heart failure. Chest x-ray showed cardiomegaly, and transthoracic echocardiography showed a mass that was confirmed by transesophageal echocardiography, computed tomography, and coronary angiography. In conclusion, giant coronary artery aneurysms can cause superior vena cava syndrome.