Anomalous Origin of the Right Coronary Artery from the Left Sinus of Valsalva

Abstract

ANOMALOUS origin of the right coronary artery from the left sinus of Valsalva is a rare congenital abnormality. For many years pathologists classified it as a minor anomaly of no clinical importance. Recently, manifestations of myocardial ischemia have been described in patients with this anomaly in the absence of additional atherosclerotic or other disease processes. These manifestations have included acute myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, syncope, nonfatal ventricular fibrillation, and sudden death.1 2 3 4 5 6 Although clinical, anatomic, and angiographic data suggest impaired physiologic function of an anomalous right coronary artery that originates from the left sinus of Valsalva, no actual physiologic measurements have . . .