CARDIOVASCULAR JOURNAL OF AFRICA • Vol 21, No 4, July/August 2010
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AFRICA
made by the absence of retrograde flow and the detection of a
second coronary artery originating from the RCA towards the
AIVS. Also, the long LAD originating from the RCA can be
misdiagnosed as a conus branch. But it should be kept in mind
that it differs from a conus branch by the presence of septal
and diagonal branches. Furthermore, there is a risk of incorrect
placement of the graft in a CABG operation, so the recognition
of a dual LAD may also increase the success rate of surgery.
4
Conclusion
The LAD is the most important coronary artery and being aware
of the nature, anatomy and congenital anomalies of the LAD
may help physicians make the correct diagnosis and treatment
in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention or
CABG operations.
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Fig. 2. The long LAD originating from the RCA traversed
the right ventricular infindubulum and entered the distal
part of the AIVS. LAD: left anterior descending artery,
RCA: right coronary artery, AIVS: anterior interventricular
sulcus.
Fig. 1. The short LAD originating from the LMCA termi-
nated in the middle part of the AIVS. LMCA: left main
coronary artery, LAD: left anterior descending artery,
LCX: left circumflex coronary artery, AIVS: anterior inter-
ventricular sulcus.
