Left anterior descending coronary artery bridge. A cause of early death after cardiac transplantation

Abstract

Immediately following orthotopic transplantation, a patient suffered left pump failure, which resulted in death. Autopsy of the donor heart revealed a proximal left anterior descending artery bridge with a thrombus causing segmental distal anteroseptal infarction. In this case report, myocardial coronary bridges and their clinical implications are reviewed. Myocardial bridging and acute coronary obstruction should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with acute pump dysfunction following orthotopic cardiac transplantation.