A dangerous case of colic: anomalous left coronary artery presenting with paroxysms of irritability

Abstract

Anomalous left coronary artery originating from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) is a rare, but potentially lethal, cause for irritability in infancy. We present the case of a 12-week-old male infant who was managed as a colic patient for several weeks before the diagnosis of ALCAPA was established. A brief review of previous case reports demonstrated that paroxysms of irritability can be a presentation of this disorder. In the majority of cases the manifestations of ALCAPA can be differentiated from other diseases known to cause a infant to be colicky.