Open AccessDual coronary-pulmonary fistula firstly found at routine doppler echocardiogram
Author(s) -
Grazia Casavecchia,
Stefano Zicchino,
Matteo Gravina,
Alessandro Martone,
Andrea Cuculo,
Luca Macarini,
Matteo Di Biase,
Natale Daniele Brunetti
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of cardiovascular echography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.255
H-Index - 8
eISSN - 2347-193X
pISSN - 2211-4122
DOI - 10.4103/jcecho.jcecho_47_18
Subject(s) - medicine , cardiology , parasternal line , diastole , transesophageal echocardiogram , asymptomatic , radiology , doppler echocardiography , angina , myocardial infarction , blood pressure
Congenital coronary-pulmonary fistulas (CPFs) are defined as an abnormal direct communication between one or more coronary arteries, with a cardiac or thoracic structure bypassing the capillary network. We report the case of a 73-year-old male, with a history of hypertension, asymptomatic for angina and dyspnea, who was referred for routine clinical control. Echocardiogram unexpectedly showed the presence of diastolic flow from the pulmonary trunk in parasternal short-axis view. Pulsed-wave Doppler confirmed the presence of diastolic flow and displayed the typical coronary flow pattern. Coronary angiography hence showed the presence of dual CPFs originating from the second segment of the left anterior descending coronary and the right coronary arteries. Careful routine Doppler echocardiograph examination may raise the suspicion of CPF in case of otherwise unexplained symptoms and may represent a simple, easy, repeatable tool for the first suspected diagnosis and follow-up of CPFs.