Fatal rupture of a giant left coronary artery aneurysm in an infant with Kawasaki disease. A case report with systematic literature review

Abstract

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a systemic vasculitis of childhood that may lead to coronary artery aneurysms. Rupture of a giant coronary aneurysm is an exceptionally rare but often fatal complication. We report the case of a 4-month-old infant with treatment-resistant Kawasaki disease who developed rapidly enlarging giant aneurysms in all coronary artery branches despite aggressive immunomodulatory therapy. The patient died from cardiac tamponade due to rupture of a giant left anterior descending coronary artery aneurysm. Full autopsy revealed widespread vasculitis affecting multiple visceral arteries in addition to coronary artery involvement. Histological analysis demonstrated panarteritis with medial destruction and no evidence of thrombosis or myocardial infarction. A systematic review of reported cases demonstrated comparable clinical patterns and outcomes. This report underscores the potential for systemic vascular involvement in severe Kawasaki disease and highlights the importance of early recognition and intensified treatment in refractory cases.