MANAGEMENT OF LEIOMYOMA CAUSING MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION

Although most myocardial infarctions are caused by either obstruction or spasm of the coronary arteries, severe anemia can lower oxygen carr ying capacity and damage the myocardium. We report a case of leiomyoma -induced menorrhagia of such severity that myocardial infarction ensue d. Hysterectomy was indicated to avoid further anemia. While delaying elective surgery until the heart has had time to recover from infarcti on is the usual practice, the fact that myoma-induced menorrhagia cont ributed to ischemia in this patient prompted us to perform hysterectom y shortly after infarction.