Spontaneously Recanalised Coronary Thrombus in the Left Anterior Descending Artery Presenting as Ventricular Tachycardia

Heart Int. 2020 Dec 22;14(2):123-128. doi: 10.17925/HI.2020.14.2.123. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Spontaneously recanalized coronary thrombus (SRCT), also known as honeycomb, lotus root or Swiss-cheese lesion, is an increasingly recognised finding in patients undergoing coronary angiography. It is thought to arise from partial resorption of an initially occlusive thrombus. Most patients present with angina or exertional breathlessness. We describe a case of a 69-year-old patient who presented with ventricular tachycardia and was found to have SRCT in the left anterior descending artery on coronary angiography. Echocardiography and left ventricular (LV) angiography showed an akinetic, aneurysmal, thin-walled LV apex, diagnostic of an old anterior infarct. We highlight the role of optical coherence tomography in making the diagnosis and discuss the available management options of this condition.

Keywords: Spontaneously recanalized coronary thrombus; honeycomb lesion; lotus root lesion; optical coherence tomography; ventricular tachycardia.

Publication types

  • Review

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Support: No funding was received in the publication of this article.