Severe Compression of the Left Main Coronary Artery in a Patient with Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension

Abstract

Extrinsic compression of the left main coronary artery (LMCA) can occur in patients with an enlarged pulmonary artery trunk secondary to severe pulmonary hypertension (PH). This phenomenon rarely occurs in PH; moreover, few reports have shown that chronic thromboembolic PH can be a triggering factor for this syndrome. Herein, we describe a patient with extrinsic compression of the LMCA with chronic thromboembolic PH who underwent pulmonary endarterectomy and coronary artery bypass grafting successfully. Intravenous ultrasonography (IVUS) was effective for detecting and assessing the compression.