CLUSTERED ORIGIN OF LEFT CORONARY ARTERY FROM THE LEFT SINUS OF VALSALVA: UNCHARACTERISTIC DEVELOPMENTAL EVENT IN THE TEMPORALLY REGULATED PROCESS

Background: The coronary artery development is a sequential and progressively regulated process. However, there are number of reports available on the disturbance to this temporal process resulting in variations of the artery. In these instances, the function of the coronary arteries was normal in providing blood supply to the heart. The normal and abnormal coronary artery development has been studied using variety of approaches and the knowledge continues to evolve. Materials and Methods: The cadaveric specimen was obtained from the “willed body program” for the purpose of student dissection. We report here an anomaly found in a 94-year old Caucasian male died of cerebral artery infarction. Results and Observations: We observed that the left coronary artery arose from the coronary ostium in a cluster of multiple branches. The right coronary artery arose normally from the right coronary ostium. Further dissection showed the co-dominant nature of the left and right coronary arteries in providing blood supply to the posterior aspect of the heart and the interventricular septum. Conclusions: Knowledge of coronary artery and its disposition is important in clinical practice especially in coronary artery stent placement, coronary artery bypass surgery and coronary sinus catheterization.