"Steal" collaterals: an echocardiographic diagnostic marker for anomalous origin of the left main coronary artery from the pulmonary artery in the adult

J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2006 Jan;19(1):107.e3-107.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.echo.2005.09.024.

Abstract

Anomalous origin of the left main coronary artery from the pulmonary artery, also known as Bland-White-Garland syndrome, is a rare malformation. Few patients survive past childhood without surgical repair, and up to 90% die suddenly at a mean age of 35 years. We describe a case of a 60-year-old patient with anomalous origin of the left main coronary artery from the pulmonary artery in which 2-dimensional and color flow Doppler visualization of the intercoronary (so-called "steal") collaterals was the first marker that alerted the examiner to the possibility of this diagnosis, subsequently guided step-by-step the echocardiographic approach.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Collateral Circulation*
  • Coronary Vessel Anomalies / diagnostic imaging*
  • Coronary Vessels / diagnostic imaging*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Echocardiography / methods*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pulmonary Artery / abnormalities*
  • Pulmonary Artery / diagnostic imaging*