Postpartum spontaneous coronary, vertebral, and mesenteric artery dissections: a case report

J Med Case Rep. 2016 Jun 8:10:153. doi: 10.1186/s13256-016-0937-0.

Abstract

Background: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is a rare cause of myocardial infarction that must always be considered on a clinician's differential diagnosis, particularly in patients <50-years old with a paucity of typical vascular risk factors.

Case presentation: We describe a case of a 33-year-old white woman, 3 weeks postpartum, presenting with retrosternal chest and back pain, neck pain and stiffness, and intermittent headaches. Subsequent workup revealed concurrent spontaneous dissections in three separate medium-sized arterial beds.

Conclusions: She was successfully managed in a conservative fashion, highlighting that percutaneous or surgical revascularization can often be foregone in favor of conservative medical therapy.

Keywords: Acute myocardial infarction; Coronary artery dissection; Gender; Vertebral artery dissection.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Coronary Angiography
  • Coronary Vessel Anomalies / complications*
  • Coronary Vessel Anomalies / physiopathology*
  • Coronary Vessels / diagnostic imaging
  • Coronary Vessels / physiopathology*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Electrocardiography
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Mesenteric Arteries / diagnostic imaging
  • Mesenteric Arteries / physiopathology*
  • Myocardial Infarction / diagnostic imaging
  • Myocardial Infarction / etiology*
  • Myocardial Infarction / physiopathology
  • Postpartum Period
  • Puerperal Disorders / diagnostic imaging
  • Puerperal Disorders / physiopathology*
  • Vascular Diseases / complications
  • Vascular Diseases / congenital*
  • Vascular Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Vascular Diseases / physiopathology
  • Vertebral Artery / diagnostic imaging
  • Vertebral Artery / physiopathology

Supplementary concepts

  • Coronary Artery Dissection, Spontaneous