Organ Transplantation Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Organ Transplantation, including details on risks, prognosis, procedure, surgery.

Diastolic coronary artery compression in a cardiac transplant recipient: treatment with a stent.

Garg RK, Anderson AS, Jolly N

Section of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.

Myocardial bridges, with resultant systolic compression of the coronary artery, are common inborn anomalies that generally have a benign course. Diastolic compression of the coronary artery, however, is a rare finding that is believed to be an acquired lesion. It can be hypothesized that during diastole, when left ventricular filling occurs, the coronary artery is compressed against epicardial scar tissue or a noncompliant pericardium. This can then lead to diminished intracoronary blood flow. We present a case of functionally significant diastolic coronary artery compression in a cardiac transplant recipient who was successfully treated with intracoronary stent placement.

Published 2 June 2005 in Catheter Cardiovasc Interv, 65(2): 271-5.
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