Angiographic demonstration of coronary sinus thrombosis: a potential consequence of trauma to the coronary sinus.

Abnormalities of the coronary sinus are rarely encountered. A case is presented demonstrating for the first time the angiographic appearance of coronary sinus thrombosis. This may have been the result of surgical trauma during mitral valve replacement or inadvertent cannulation of the coronary sinus during right heart catheterization or pacemaker insertion. Although the clinical significance of coronary sinus thrombosis is uncertain, obstruction of coronary sinus blood flow should not be deleterious because of multiple anastomoses between the coronary sinus system and the anterior cardiac veins. Difficulty in cannulating the coronary sinus for physiologic studies should suggest the possibility of coronary sinus thrombosis, especially in patients who have undergone mitral valve replacement. This may be confirmed by observing the venous phase of selective left coronary arteriography. Finally, coronary sinus thrombosis may be important as a source of pulmonary emboli. The prevalence of this serious complication requires further study.