What is an anomalous coronary artery?

What is an anomalous coronary artery?

An anomalous coronary artery wasn’t formed correctly before birth. In many cases, the coronary artery is in the wrong place or is coming from the wrong place. This problem can affect:

• Right coronary artery.
• Left coronary artery.
• Left circumflex artery.
• Left anterior descending artery.

The problem with anomalous coronary arteries is that they aren’t where they’re supposed to be. They may start in:

• The wrong part of your aorta (most common).
• Part of a different coronary artery.
• Another artery.
• The pulmonary artery.

Types of coronary artery anomalies include:

A common coronary artery anomaly is an artery coming out of the wrong aortic sinus of Valsalva. Normally, the right coronary artery comes out of the right aortic sinus of Valsalva. Similarly, the left coronary artery comes out of the left aortic sinus of Valsalva.

A coronary artery that starts from the pulmonary artery instead of the aorta is another type of anomaly. This can affect the left or right coronary artery or (rarely) both. A rare form involves an accessory artery. In some cases, the normal coronary artery can make up for what the abnormal coronary artery can’t do. This is why some people don’t have symptoms until they become adults.