Coronary artery fistula

Fistula means abnormal connection. Coronary artery fistula is an abnormal connection between one of the coronary arteries and a heart chamber or another blood vessel. The coronary arteries are blood vessels that bring oxygen-rich blood to the heart. Coronary artery fistulae (CAF) are classified as abnormalities of termination and are considered a major congenital anomaly.

Usually CAF is congenital which means a baby or infant is born with it.

There is no specific cause for CAF as it is congenital, sometimes heart surgery, an injury to the heart or an infection can cause the disorder.

Signs or symptoms:

·         Heart murmur

·         Shortness of breath

·         Fatigue

·         Chest pain

·         Irregular heart beat

Treatment:

If this is small, there is no requirement of treatment. If the fistula is large there is a need of heart surgery and catheter based device is used to block the connection.

Cardiology research Journals like Clinical Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine (CCCM) provides a global open access platform to put forth the ongoing research, reviews articles related to Coronary artery fistula.