Abstract 15772: From Agony to Relief: Overcoming Angina Through Endovascular Coiling of the Left Internal Mammary Artery (LIMA) to Pulmonary Artery (PA) Fistulae- A Case Report

Circulation, Volume 148, Issue Suppl_1, Page A15772-A15772, November 6, 2023. Introduction:LIMA to PA fistulae are a rare complication after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. We present a patient with angina secondary to a steal syndrome from LIMA-PA fistulae, treated with endovascular coiling.Case:The patient is a 49-year-old active male with coronary artery disease, status post CABG at age 46 with a LIMA graft to the left anterior descending artery, radial artery graft to the first obtuse marginal artery, and saphenous venous graft (SVG) to the posterior descending artery. At age 48, he developed angina and underwent stent placement to the distal right coronary artery after the SVG was found to be occluded. Several months later, he reported dyspnea and chest pain on exertion. An exercise nuclear stress test showed abnormal myocardial perfusion in the anteroseptal region, and he was referred for left heart catheterization (LHC). LHC revealed unchanged native coronary disease, patent LIMA, and a network of collateral vessels from the LIMA feeding into the pulmonary vasculature (Figure 1). The collaterals were not seen on LHC 9 months prior. CT coronary angiography confirmed multiple fistulae originating from the superior aspect of the LIMA graft communicating with the PA (Figure 1). After a multidisciplinary, patient-centered, heart team discussion, he underwent successful endovascular coiling of the collateral branches (Figure 2).Discussion:LIMA-PA fistulae is a rare cause of angina and there is a paucity of literature on management. To our knowledge, coil embolization has been described in roughly 10 cases. Here, we present a successful case of endovascular coiling of collateral vessels leading to symptomatic improvement.

Leggi
Novembre 2023

Abstract 15449: Cardiopulmonary Best Abstract Award: Pausing Reveals Exercise-Induced Uncoupling: Exploring the Dynamics of RV-PA Coupling in the Six-Minute Walking Test

Circulation, Volume 148, Issue Suppl_1, Page A15449-A15449, November 6, 2023. Background:The six-minute walking test (6MWT) is a commonly used test for assessing the functional capacity of patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH), providing functional and prognostic information. Functional capacity depends on RV-PA coupling, the matching of right ventricular contractility to afterload. However, the dynamics of RV-PA coupling during the 6MWT have never been studied.Methods:We used a wireless hemodynamic monitoring system (CorLog, emka-medical, Germany) to continuously measure right ventricular pressure in 10 patients with PH (8 = group I, 1 = III, 1 = IV) during a 6MWT. We calculated right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) and Ees/Ea based on the pressure signal as shown in the figure (panel a). Dyspnea was evaluated using the Borg scale.Results:By analyzing the hemodynamic response during the 6MWT, we identified two patterns: 1) Improved/preserved coupling: Five patients exhibited an initial improvement in Ees/Ea and maintained coupling at least at the baseline level throughout the test, without requiring pauses. 2) Uncoupling associated with pauses: Five patients experienced a slight increase in Ees/Ea at the beginning, followed by a progressive loss of coupling and ejection fraction, necessitating pauses. During pauses, Ees/Ea values restored, enabling patients to resume walking. Patients of the second phenotype reported higher levels of dyspnea. The highest reported Borg score was 8 ± 0.9 vs. 4.6 ± 1.2 in the first group. Also, the covered distance was shorter in the second group (159 ± 64m vs. 288 ± 88m, p=0.03). Both groups showed differences in Ees/Ea (0.47 [0.46 – 0.57] vs. 0.34 [0.30 – 0.43], P=0.05) and RVEF (34 ± 4.1% vs. 28.5 ± 2.6%, P=0.03) at baseline, with Group One exhibiting superior values.Conclusion:This is the first investigation into the significance of RV-PA coupling in real-life exercise limitation and dyspnea during the 6MWT. Pauses observed during the 6MWT can serve as indicators of exercise-induced uncoupling.

Leggi
Novembre 2023