Abstract

Iatrogenic aortocoronary dissection is a rare but potentially fatal complication of coronary catheterizations. Although the incidence is comparatively low, dissection often leads to procedure failure with increased risk of myocardial infarction and death. Iatrogenic aortocoronary dissection is principally caused by disruption of intima at the ostia of the right or left coronary artery during interventional procedures and appears as luminal filling defects, the persistence of contrast or intimal tear outside the coronary lumen. Dissection could propagate in the anterograde direction causing subtotal or total occlusion of the coronary lumen or extend in the retrograde direction into the sinus of Valsalva, ascending aorta, aortic arch or descending aorta resulting in hemodynamic instability. We present a case of Right Coronary Artery dissection leading to Type-A aortic dissection suffered during diagnostic coronary catheterization. This required emergency supracoronary replacement of the ascending aorta with an aortic interposition tube graft and venous grafts to coronary arteries