A totally occluded right coronary artery presenting with a normal electrocardiogram.

ABSTRACT

Total occlusion of the right coronary artery (RCA) typically manifests as ST-segment elevation in the inferior leads and sometimes the lateral precordial leads of the surface electrocardiogram (ECG). We report a case of a patient with a normal electrocardiogram on presentation who, on angiography, revealed a totally occluded proximal RCA. Emergency angioplasty and stenting was successfully able to recanalize the entire RCA and restore TIMI III flow. ECGs performed post-procedure showed minimal change. The existence of a subendocardial microvascular network may have allowed this patient to escape what typically would have been a large ST-elevation inferior myocardial infarction.