Intravascular ultrasound application in the evaluation of left main coronary artery lesions

Abstract

Although atherosclerotic left main coronary artery stenosis (LMCA) has a low rate in the coronary angiography series, they have significant cardiovascular mortality and morbidity rates because their disease affects a significant proportion of the myocardium. Therefore, in severe cases (?50% stenosis of the LMCA), coronary artery bypass grafting is the revascularization of choice. However, assessing LMCA disease severity involves anatomical and technical challenges. Coronary intravascular ultrasound may help to overcome these difficulties. In this article, we report a 73-year-old case of LMCA disease that was considered to be severe by visual assessment of coronary angiography, and surgical intervention was abandoned because of a minimal lumen area of more than 6 mm2 when IVUS was performed.