Coronary Embolism: Review of the Literature and Report of a Unique Case

Abstract

This is a brief review of the literature on coronary embolism and a case report of a very unique type of coronary embolus—a piece of calcium from a calcified aortic valve. Microscopic sections revealed that the calcium plaque was covered by endothelium which had grown out from the vessel wall, thus attaching it to the coronary artery. The patient lived approximately two months after the embolism occurred.