Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery for Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection in Early Pregnancy: Medical and Ethical Decision-Making Issues

Abstract

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) in young females is a rare condition that typically occurs during the postpartum period.Even more rare is when SCAD occurs during the antepartum phase of pregnancy. This scenario can have catastrophic outcomes for both the mother and the unborn child. Due to its infrequency, there is minimal information on how to treat these patients effectively while keeping both the mother and the unborn child as safe as possible. We present a case of a 36-year-old multiparous Caucasian female brought in by an ambulance for sudden-onset left-sided chest pain radiating to her left shoulder, arm, and back. The initial laboratory tests were significant for a B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) level of 190.82 pg/mL (the normal range is less than 100 pg/mL) and a troponin level of 3.98 ng/mL (the normal range is less than 0.04 ng/mL), which peaked to 18.39 ng/mL in less than 24 hours. Electrocardiogram (EKG) showed sinus tachycardia of 103 beats per minute (bpm) and anterolateral ST-T changes suggestive of ischemia. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) was 32 mIU/mL (the normal range is less than 5 mIU/mL), which may indicate early pregnancy. Echocardiogram (ECHO) showed left anterior descending (LAD) artery territory wall motion abnormalities, which included the akinesis of the apical, middle, and apical anterior septum and the hypokinesis of the basal anteroseptal segment. Her calculated ejection fraction was 38.4% with no valvular abnormalities. Cardiac catheterization showed severe diffuse LAD disease in the proximal segment with the middle LAD and diagonal branch subtotally occluded. The right coronary artery (RCA) had severe disease. Cardiothoracic surgery was consulted for a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). The procedure performed was a three-vessel coronary artery bypass graft, which included the following: left internal mammary artery (LIMA) to middle LAD, saphenous vein graft (SVG) to distal LAD, and SVG to diagonal. This case report aims to provide additional information to the database of SCAD in pregnant females undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Keywords: acute coronary syndrome; angiography; coronary artery bypass grafting (cabg); myocardial infarction; pregnancy; spontaneous coronary artery dissection.

Figure 1. EKG showing sinus tachycardia of 103 bpm and anterolateral ST-T changes

EKG, electrocardiogram; bpm, beats per minute; aVR, augmented vector right; aVL, augmented vector left, aVF, augmented vector foot

Figure 2. Flow-limiting dissection in LAD and diagonal coronary artery branches

LAD: left anterior descending

Figure 3. PLA branch of RCA with dissection

PLA, posterolateral artery; RCA, right coronary artery