The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 49, 469-470, Copyright © 1990 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Dissection of the left main coronary artery: diagnosis by angioscopy
D Richens, A Renzulli and CJ Hilton
Regional Cardiothoracic Centre, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle, England.
A 58-year-old woman with mitral valve disease was investigated with cardiac
catheterization. At catheterization, a suspected dissection of the left
main coronary artery occurred. This diagnosis was confirmed at urgent
operation by intraoperative angioscopy. The patient underwent mitral valve
replacement and coronary artery bypass grafting and made a good
postoperative recovery. Coronary angioscopy at operation provides a useful
means of diagnosing pathology in the left main coronary artery.