Intermittent spastic coronary occlusion at site of non-significant atherosclerotic lesion requiring stent implantation

A 65-year-old woman was admitted with severe but mainly atypical chest pain at rest for some weeks. Two years ago, primary percutaneous coronary intervention with stenting of the mid left anterior descending artery (LAD) had been performed in the setting of an anterior myocardial infarction. Physical examination, electrocardiogram, serum levels of troponin I, and echocardiography were normal. During maximal treadmill test, a significant depression of the ST segment was found in leads V⁴ to V⁶ while the patient remained asymptomatic. Coronary angiography demonstrated normal right (figure 1A) and circumflex (figure 1B) coronary arteries while the LAD was totally occluded just proximal to the previously implanted stent (figure 1B). However, a few minutes later, ventriculography showed – besides normal left ventricular function – anterograde filling of the LAD (figure 1C, arrows).