The Missing Coronary: A Case Series of Inferior Wall Myocardial Infarction Due to Coronary Anomalies

Cureus. 2024 Jul 24;16(7):e65288. doi: 10.7759/cureus.65288. eCollection 2024 Jul.

Abstract

Coronary artery anomalies, while often asymptomatic, can sometimes present acutely in the context of myocardial infarction (MI). This case series highlights three unique instances of inferior wall MI precipitated by rare coronary anomalies. The first case involved a 40-year-old male with a congenital absence of the left circumflex artery, presenting with a "shark fin" ECG pattern in inferior leads. Urgent coronary angiography confirmed the anomaly and primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was performed on a superdominant right coronary artery (RCA). The second case details a 52-year-old male with a split RCA, initially undiagnosed due to apparently normal angiographic findings, later revealed to have a thrombotic occlusion of the posterior division. Careful re-evaluation and imaging from alternative angles facilitated successful PCI. The third case describes a 45-year-old male with an anomalous origin of the RCA from the left sinus of Valsalva, presenting difficulties during arterial engagement in PCI. A modified Judkins left catheter technique was employed to achieve selective cannulation and stent deployment. These cases underscore the importance of early recognition, accurate diagnosis, and innovative interventional strategies in managing acute MI due to congenital coronary anomalies.

Keywords: coronary artery anomaly (caa); inferior wall myocardial infarction (iwmi); judkins; right coronary artery anomaly; shark fin st-elevation ecg sign.

Publication types

  • Case Reports