Coronary Artery Fistula

Nancy McDaniel M.D.

The heart in this defect has four chambers and four valves which are all put together normally.

One of the coronary arteries (a blood vessel that supplies the red blood to the heart muscle) was not formed correctly. The coronary artery connects with a heart chamber rather than a coronary vein.

This defect rarely causes symptoms in childhood.

The extra connection can be fixed with surgery or with a special wire (coil) in the catheterization laboratory.

1. A large branch from the left anterior descending artery makes a fistulous connection to the right atrium. Produces a continuous murmur and a left to right shunt

Normal Heart