Congenital Heart Surgery Nomenclature and Database Project: anomalies of the coronary arteries.

The extant nomenclature for coronary artery anomalies is reviewed for the purpose of establishing a unified reporting system. The subject was debated and reviewed by members of the STS-Congenital Heart Surgery Database Committee and representatives from the European Association for Cardiothoracic Surgery. All efforts were made to include all relevant nomenclature categories using synonyms where appropriate. The seven major categories of coronary artery anomalies are: anomalous pulmonary artery origins of the coronaries, anomalous aortic origins of the coronaries, congenital atresia of the left main coronary artery, coronary artery fistulas, coronary artery bridging, coronary aneurysms, and coronary stenosis. A comprehensive database set is presented which is based on a hierarchical scheme. Data are entered at various levels of complexity and detail, which can be determined by the clinician. These data can lay the foundation for comprehensive risk stratification analyses. A minimum database set is also presented, which will allow for data sharing and would lend itself to basic interpretation of trends. Outcome tables relating diagnoses, procedures, and various risk factors are presented.