Left Main Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock
OBJECTIVE: To review a case of left main spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) complicated by pulseless ventricular tachycardia arrest and cardiogenic shock in a 58-year-old woman without pre-existing cardiovascular risk factors, presenting as non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. KEY STEPS: Catheterization with pulmonary artery catheter placement was crucial in revealing left main SCAD with severe cardiogenic shock (Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions stage D). The patient required initiation of mechanical support with Impella-supported percutaneous coronary intervention with a drug-eluting stent to the left main coronary artery. Afterward, she had full recovery and was weaned off mechanical and vasoactive support. POTENTIAL PITFALLS: While many SCAD cases are managed conservatively with medical therapy, left main involvement often requires early revascularization and is associated with a higher risk of complications. TAKE-HOME MESSAGE: This case offers insight into the diagnostic and treatment strategies of left main SCAD and underscores the importance of early revascularization to improve outcomes.
Authors
- Kenney Abraham
- Akhil Kallur (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3164-344X)
- On Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7299-9472)
- Matthew H. Pelletier (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1643-6696)
- Dustin Wessells
Institutions
- Stony Brook University Hospital (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- JACC Case Reports
- Published
- 2026-04-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaccas.2026.107865
- Primary Topic
- Cardiovascular Issues in Pregnancy
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00