Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: Insights From Histology and Optical Coherence Tomography

Rev Cardiovasc Med. 2017;18(1):44-52. doi: 10.3909/ricm0856.

Abstract

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a well-known but infrequent cause of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and often goes unrecognized. Although management of SCAD is, at times, controversial, when a patient presents with ACS, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is frequently necessary. We present a patient with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) with SCAD that illustrates two important points: use of intracoronary optical coherence tomography to guide PCI, and histologic assessment to provide a unique insight into the etiology of SCAD. Following the case, we briefly review the important aspects of the pathophysiology, epidemiology, diagnosis, and interventional management of SCAD.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biopsy
  • Coronary Angiography
  • Coronary Vessel Anomalies / diagnostic imaging*
  • Coronary Vessel Anomalies / pathology*
  • Coronary Vessel Anomalies / surgery
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction / diagnostic imaging*
  • ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction / pathology*
  • ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction / surgery
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vascular Diseases / congenital*
  • Vascular Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Vascular Diseases / pathology
  • Vascular Diseases / surgery

Supplementary concepts

  • Coronary Artery Dissection, Spontaneous