The anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the main pulmonary trunk (also known as Bland-White-Garland syndrome) is a rare congenital malformation that occurs in 0.4% of patients with cardiac anomalies. We present an adult case (a 58-year-old woman) of atypical Bland-White-Garland syndrome. The patient displayed a stenosis at the ostium of the anomalous origin of the left coronary artery and an aortopulmonary fistula. Using conventional angiography, it was not possible to differentiate between an anomalous origin of the pulmonary coronary artery and total stenosis of the left main coronary artery in combination with a pulmonary fistula. However, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) succeeded in making this differential diagnosis.
Conclusion: If there is subtotal or total occlusion, TEE can be used for detection of coronary vessel morphology, particularly in cases of coronary anomalies.