Survival after sudden obstruction of the left main coronary artery.

ABSTRACT

Left main coronary artery (LMCA) stenosis occurs in 10% of patients undergoing coronary arteriography, but total occlusion is rare. Goldberg et al reported 6 cases of complete obstruction of the LMCA among 2,200 patients studied arteriographically. Sudden obstruction of the LMCA should be lethal, and we found no report describing survival with sudden obstruction of the LMCA. The present report describes such a patient.