LATE COMPLICATIONS IN TRAUMATIC CORONARY-ARTERY FISTULA - REPORT OF ACASE REQUIRING SURGICAL REPAIR AFTER 8 YEARS

We report the unusual case of a patient with traumatic coronary artery fistula who had been free of symptoms for more than 4 years, but who ultimately required surgical repair 8 years after the trauma due to la te complications including angina pectoris, atrial flutter and fibrill ation, congestive heart failure, and tricuspid regurgitation, Our find ings suggest that early surgical repair should be undertaken in cases of traumatic coronary artery fistula, even if the shunt is minimal and early symptoms are mild. The persistence of, or a slow increase in, s hunt flow over the years greatly increases the risk of the ultimate de velopment of life-threatening complications.