culprit vessel

Full Definition

The culprit vessel is the coronary artery containing the unstable plaque or acute thrombotic occlusion that precipitated an acute coronary syndrome. Identification of the culprit vessel is crucial for guiding immediate treatment decisions, particularly in patients with multivessel coronary disease. The culprit vessel is typically identified through a combination of clinical presentation, ECG changes, imaging findings, and angiographic appearance. In acute settings, primary intervention is usually directed at the culprit vessel first, with staged procedures for other significant lesions.

In Context

• "The right coronary artery was identified as the culprit vessel based on inferior wall changes on ECG." — Emergency catheterization report
• "Primary PCI was performed on the culprit vessel with staged intervention planned for the remaining lesions." — Interventional procedure summary