A Unique Method for Successful Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention of an Anomalous Origin of the Culprit Coronary Artery
ABSTRACT
We present a novel, simple, and low-cost “side-hole” technique for a patient with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) caused by an occlusion of an anomalous origin of the culprit coronary artery (AOCCA). In a case where standard guiding catheters failed to engage the anomalous left coronary artery (LCA), we created an approximately 3 mm side-hole near the tip of a 5 Fr diagnostic catheter and then introduced a guidewire and microcatheter directly into the anomalous left main trunk (LMT). Subsequently, we withdrew this diagnostic catheter and exchanged it for a guiding catheter over the guide wire, enabling rapid primary PCI. This approach facilitated rapid wire passage, minimized additional device use, and helped reduce overall reperfusion time. It may be especially useful in urgent STEMI cases where a suitable guiding catheter for AOCCA lesions cannot be readily identified.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Open Research
Data Availability Statement
The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to privacy or ethical restrictions.