Acute myocardial infarction caused by spontaneous coronary intramural hematoma

J Invasive Cardiol. 2012 Dec;24(12):692-3.

Abstract

A 49-year-old male presented to our emergency department with sudden anterior chest pain. His electrocardiogram revealed ST-segment elevations in leads II, III and aVF. An inferior acute myocardial infarction was suspected. Emergent coronary angiography (CAG) showed there was a long lesion in the right coronary artery (RCA), which continued from the proximal to the distal part of RCA with 50% stenosis and narrowed further to 99% stenosis at the distal end. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) examination demonstrated a diffuse intramural hematoma raging from the proximal to the distal part of the RCA. No visualization of the intimal flap was identified by IVUS, indicating coronary artery dissection as a pathogenesis of this hematoma formation. After intracoronary injection of isosorbide dinitrate, the 99% stenosis regressed to 50% spontaneously. Neither balloon angioplasty nor stenting was performed. He was discharged home free from symptoms 9 days after the procedure. Thirty-day follow-up CAG revealed an almost normal finding of the RCA and IVUS delineated a complete restoration of the intramural hematoma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Coronary Angiography
  • Coronary Disease / complications*
  • Coronary Disease / drug therapy
  • Electrocardiography
  • Hematoma / complications*
  • Hematoma / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Injections, Intra-Arterial
  • Isosorbide Dinitrate / administration & dosage
  • Isosorbide Dinitrate / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myocardial Infarction / diagnosis*
  • Myocardial Infarction / etiology*
  • Myocardial Infarction / physiopathology
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vasodilator Agents / administration & dosage
  • Vasodilator Agents / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Vasodilator Agents
  • Isosorbide Dinitrate