Survival after spontaneous primary left main coronary artery dissection. Acute surgical intervention with the Jarvik 7-70 artificial heart.

Abstract

Spontaneous primary dissection of a coronary artery is extremely rare, and when it involves the left main trunk the outcome is catastrophic. A 41-year-old woman who survived such a dissection and resultant myocardial infarct with cardiogenic shock is reported here. The patient required a Jarvik 7-70 artificial heart to sustain life until an orthotopic cardiac transplant was performed, and she is now alive and well.