Medical Condition Library

Information Centers

Wellness Centers

Helpful Resources

Coronary Artery Fistula—Child

by Cynthia M. Johnson, MA

Home | Health Information Center | Disease, Condition, & Injury Fact Sheets | Article

Definition

Coronary artery fistula is an abnormal connection between the coronary artery and the heart or other blood vessels. Coronary arteries carry oxygen-rich blood to the heart tissue. A small fistula will not affect this blood flow, but larger ones may cause problems.

The Coronary Arteries

Causes

This is often caused by a congenital defect. This means that a baby is born with it. It is not known exactly why this happens.

Some fistulas can also happen after birth due to infection, injury, or heart surgery.

Risk Factors

Risk factors for this problem are not known.

Symptoms

Most children with mild fistulas do not have symptoms. Rarely, those who do have symptoms may have:

Chest pain
Fast heartbeat

Diagnosis

The doctor will ask about your child’s symptoms and health history. A physical exam will be done. It will focus on the heart. This problem may be suspected if the doctor hears a heart murmur.

Images may be taken of your child's body. This can be done with:

Your child's heart function may be tested. This can be done with:

Treatment

Surgery will be done to correct the defect. Choices are:

Coil embolization to close off the abnormal vessel by placing a coil through blood vessels in the arms or legs and passing it to the heart
Open heart surgery to close the defect with stitches

Lifelong heart monitoring will be needed after treatment.

Prevention

There are no known guidelines to prevent this heart problem.

RESOURCES:

American Heart Association
http://www.heart.org

Family Doctor—American Family Physician
http://www.familydoctor.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Canadian Cardiovascular Society
http://www.ccs.ca

Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
http://www.heartandstroke.ca

References:

Coronary artery fistula. Children’s Hospital Boston website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Accessed December 27, 2017.

Coronary artery fistula. Johns Hopkins University, Cove Point Foundation website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Updated January 24, 2017. Accessed December 27, 2017.

Lin C-T, Lin T-K. The current status of coronary artery fistula. J Intern Med Taiwan. 2009;20:484-489.

Last reviewed December 2020 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Kari Kassir, MD
Last Updated: 3/10/2021

EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at healthlibrarysupport@ebsco.com. Our Health Library Support team will respond to your email request within 2 business days.