Korean Circ J.  1992 Oct;22(5):784-790. 10.4070/kcj.1992.22.5.784.

Chronic Total Obstruction of Left Main Coronary Artery: Report of Five Patients and Review of Published Reports

• Park SH
• Cho SY
• Shim WH
• Chung NS
• Lee WK

• KMID: 1894897
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.1992.22.5.784

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Total obstruction of the left main coronary artery is a common cause of sudden death but is rarely seen in patients who survive to undergo diagnostic evaluation or treatment. METHODS: During twenty six-year period, we encountered 5 patients with chronic total obstruction of the left main coronary artery out of about 4,000 patients who underwent coronary angiography. RESULTS: All patients have undergone coronary bypass surgery. These patients present with increasingly severe angina. A right dominat coronary anatomy is always found, usually with well-developed right-to-left collaterals. Left ventricular function was severely impaired in two patients out of five patients. CONCLUSIONS: The results of surgical revascularization in our patients and others described in the literature can support the safety and efficacy of this approach.

Keyword

Left main coronary artery; Total occlusion; Collaterals

MeSH Terms

Coronary Angiography
Coronary Vessels*
Death, Sudden
Humans
Ventricular Function, Left