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A variation in the origin of the posterior descending coronary artery

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Abstract

A rare congenital variation in the origin of the posterior descending artery (PDA) is described. The PDA arose from a vascular ring formed by a normally occurring communication between the right coronary artery and the left circumflex artery within the atrioventricular groove, then traversed the inferior septum following a normal branching pattern. No significant coronary artery stenoses nor abnormalities in the physiological data were present, thus ruling out the possibility of the communication being a collateral vessel secondary to ischemia. Our patient's uncommon communication represents only the third reported case of such an occurrence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Coral Springs Medical Group, Coral Springs, Florida, USA

    Jay Berman

  2. Department of Radiology, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, 55 Lake Avenue North, 01605, Worcester, MA, USA

    David A. Phillips M.D.

Authors
  1. David A. Phillips M.D.
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  2. Jay Berman
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Additional information

This work was conducted while the authors were on staff at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

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Phillips, D.A., Berman, J. A variation in the origin of the posterior descending coronary artery. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 7, 75–77 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02552683

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02552683

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