MECHANICAL CORONARY-ARTERY SHORTENING WITH VESSEL WALL DEFORMITY DURING DIRECTIONAL CORONARY ATHERECTOMY - FIRST REPORTED CASE INVOLVING THE LEFT ANTERIOR DESCENDING ARTERY

Coronary spasm, dissection, thrombosis, and mechanical coronary artery obstruction due to vessel shortening and deformity resulting from kin king, invagination, or collapse in an accordion-like fashion are recog nized sources of iatrogenic obstruction during PTCA. Rapid recognition is required to initiate appropriate therapy. Described is the first r eported case of mechanical obstruction involving the left anterior des cending artery. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.