Spontaneous coronary artery dissection causing acute myocardial infarction and cardiac arrest in a 25-year-old male

Abstract

A 25-year-old previously healthy male presented to our emergency room with acute chest pain and ventricular arrhythmia-related cardiac arrest. ST elevation myocardial infarction was diagnosed and coronary angiography revealed diffuse critical narrowing from the proximal to the distal left anterior descending artery. Diffuse intramural hematoma was demonstrated on intravascular ultrasound. Two stents were placed to cover the whole dissection length and flow was successfully restored. Spontaneous coronary artery dissection can be a fatal event and could be mistaken for atherosclerotic plaque or coronary spasm rather than luminal compression on coronary angiography and intravascular imaging is helpful in this condition.