[Three cases of single coronary artery].

Single coronary artery has been considered a minor coronary anomaly without clinical importance. With the wide spread of coronary angiography, however, the disease has been reported to develop complications at a high rate, such as angina, myocardial infarction and arrhythmia. We report three patients with single coronary artery with several complications. Case 1: A 56-year-old woman having a past history of diabetes mellitus and myocardial infarction was admitted because of the recently developed frequent attacks of effort angina. Treadmill test was positive and thallium-201 exercise myocardial scintigraphy revealed redistribution in the lateral wall. Ascending aortogram suggested that the right coronary artery (RCA) arose from the left sinus of Valsalva. An injection into the right sinus of Valsalva revealed no coronary ostium. Selective left coronary angiogram resulted in the diagnosis of single coronary artery (Smith's type 2) with 90% stenosis in the left circumflex artery (LCX). Left ventriculogram showed hypokinesis in the anterolateral wall. PTCA performed on this patient revealed clinical and nucleomedical improvement. Case 2: A 48-year-old man experienced chest pain and syncope. Electrocardiogram revealed ST-elevations in II, I and a VF, sinus bradycardia and atrioventricular junctional rhythm. Angiography resulted in the diagnosis of single coronary artery (Smith's type 2) with 75% stenosis in the RCA. Ergonovine test was positive. Case 3: A 69-year-old man complained of chest pain. Electrocardiogram showed complete right bundle branch block, sinus bradycardia and atrioventricular junctional rhythm. Cardiac catheterization revealed that this was also a case of single coronary artery (Smith's type 2) with no significant stenosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)