• Toshiyuki Sawai, Junko Nakahira, and Toshiaki Minami.
• Department of Anesthesiology, Osaka Medical College, 2-7 Daigaku-machi, Takatsuki, Osaka, 569-8686, Japan. ane026@poh.osaka-med.ac.jp.
• J Anesth. 2015 Dec 1; 29 (6): 962-6.

AbstractA coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) is defined as dilatation of a coronary artery to a diameter >1.5 times that of the adjoining normal coronary artery. Giant CAAs with a diameter ≥ 50 mm are quite rare. Coronary artery fistulas are also uncommon, and affected patients require prompt diagnosis and treatment. Coronary angiography is the most common method of diagnosing coronary artery fistulas; however, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) can also be a key intraoperative tool. In the present report, we describe the case of an 83-year-old man urgently admitted to our hospital with pericardial tamponade. Enhanced computed tomography and coronary angiography revealed a bulging left main and circumflex artery that was connected to a 50-mm diameter CAA. Emergency intraoperative TEE clearly showed a CAA with a surrounding hematoma, bulging circumflex artery, and a fistulous connection to the coronary sinus; the fistulous vessel contained a thrombus. Surgical repair was successful. This case demonstrates that CAA can rupture because of spontaneous closure of a thrombus-containing fistula and that intraoperative TEE could help to clearly identify the location of the CAA and fistulous connection.

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