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Left ventricular microfistulization: A rare cause of ischemia in a patient with normal coronary arteries

Abstract

A 71-year-old woman with chest pain occurring on physicalexercise was admitted to cardiology department.Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy revealed inferior andanteroapical segment hypoperfusion. Selective coronaryangiography revealed multiple coronary-cameral fistulasoriginating from the left anterior descending artery andthe right coronary artery and emptying into the left ventriclewithout any significant coronary artery stenosis. Coronaryartery fistulas are defined as abnormal communicationsbetween a coronary artery and a cardiac chamber ormajor vessel. Coronary-cameral fistulas terminating in theleft ventricle are uncommon. Small fistulas usually do notcause any hemodynamic compromise. However, the largerand multiple fistulas may cause myocardial ischemiaascribed to a coronary steal phenomenon. The best wayto manage cameral fistulae is uncertain largely due to therarity of the condition. In the present case, anti-ischemicmedications with metoprolol 50 mg/day provided an uneventfulfollow-up of six months without any intervention

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