Emergency coronary artery bypass surgery after chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention: Insights from the PROGRESS-CTO registry.

BACKGROUND: Emergency coronary artery bypass surgery (eCABG) is a serious complication of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary artery intervention (PCI). METHODS: We examined the incidence and outcomes eCABG among 14,512 CTO PCIs performed between 2012 and 2023 in a large multicenter registry. RESULTS: The incidence of eCABG was 0.12% (n = 17). Mean age was 68 ± 6 years and 69% of the patients were men. The most common reason for eCABG was coronary perforation (70.6%). eCABG patients had larger target vessel diameter (3.36 ± 0.50 vs. 2.90 ± 0.52; p = 0.003), were more likely to have moderate/severe calcification (85.7% vs. 45.8%; p = 0.006), side branch at the proximal cap (91.7% vs. 55.4%; p = 0.025), and balloon undilatable lesions (50% vs. 7.4%; p = 0.001) and to have undergone retrograde crossing (64.7% vs. 30.8%, p = 0.006). eCABG cases had lower technical (35.3% vs. 86.7%; p < 0.001) and procedural (35.3% vs. 86.7%; p < 0.001) success and higher in-hospital mortality (35.3% vs. 0.4%; p < 0.001), coronary perforation (70.6% vs. 4.6%; p < 0.001), pericardiocentesis (47.1% vs. 0.8%; p < 0.001), and major bleeding (11.8% vs. 0.5%; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of eCABG after CTO PCI was 0.12% and associated with high in-hospital mortality (35%). Coronary perforation was the most common reason for eCABG.

Relationship between homocysteine and chronic total coronary occlusion: a cross-sectional study from southwest China.

BACKGROUND: Chronic total coronary occlusion is among the most complex coronary artery diseases. Elevated homocysteine is a risk factor for coronary artery diseases. However, few studies have assessed the relationship between homocysteine and chronic total coronary occlusion. METHODS: 1295 individuals from Southwest China were enrolled in the study. Chronic total coronary occlusion was defined as complete occlusion of coronary artery for more than three months. Homocysteine was divided into quartiles according to its level. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models, receiver operating characteristic curves, and subgroup analysis were applied to assess the relationship between homocysteine and chronic total coronary occlusion. RESULTS: Subjects in the higher homocysteine quartile had a higher rate of chronic total coronary occlusion (P < 0.001). After adjustment, the odds ratio for chronic total coronary occlusion in the highest quartile of homocysteine compared with the lowest was 1.918 (95% confidence interval 1.237-2.972). Homocysteine ≥ 15.2 µmol/L was considered an independent indicator of chronic total coronary occlusion (odds ratio 1.53, 95% confidence interval 1.05-2.23; P = 0.0265). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.659 (95% confidence interval, 0.618-0.701; P < 0.001). Stronger associations were observed in elderly and in those with hypertension and diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated homocysteine is significantly associated with chronic total coronary occlusion, particularly in elderly and those with hypertension and diabetes.

Relation Between Calcium-Phosphorus Product and Total Coronary Artery Occlusion in a Nonchronic Kidney Disease Population: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Excessive calcium-phosphorus product (Ca-P product) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with coronary artery calcification and coronary artery disease, but the relation between Ca-P product and coronary artery disease in non-CKD populations has rarely been reported. Therefore, we designed a cross-sectional study to investigate the role of Ca-P product in total coronary artery occlusion (TCAO) in a non-CKD population. We reviewed 983 patients who underwent coronary angiography at Guangyuan Central Hospital from February 2018 to January 2020. Ca-P product (mg2/dl2) was calculated as Ca (mmol/L) × 4 × P (mmol/L) × 3.1 and was analyzed as a continuous and tertiary variable. TCAO was defined as complete occlusion of any coronary artery by coronary angiography (thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow grade 0). Statistical analysis was performed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression models and restricted cubic splines. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed a statistically significant association between Ca-P product and TCAO (odds ratio [OR] 0.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.95 to 0.99, p <0.001). After stepwise adjustment for covariates, the risk of TCAO was reduced by 40% in the high versus low Ca-P group (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.95, p = 0.031), and the risk of TCAO was predicted to decrease by 4% (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.94 to 0.99, p = 0.006) for each unit increase in Ca-P product. Restricted cubic splines showed a nonlinear relation between Ca-P product and TCAO, with a significant decrease in the risk of TCAO after reaching 27.46 (nonlinear p = 0.047). In conclusion, in non-CKD populations, a higher Ca-P product (≥27.46 mg2/dl2) may help avoid TCAO.

Prevalence of Collateral Typology in Coronary Chronic Total Occlusion and Its Impact on Percutaneous Intervention Performance.

The presence of collateral channels providing distal blood supply is a distinctive characteristic of chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesions. However, data about the distinct baseline and procedural characteristics of each collateral subset are scarce. Accordingly, we sought to explore the procedural aspects specific for each collateral typology (ipsilateral collaterals [ICs], contralateral collaterals [CCs] or mixed) in CTO-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A retrospective analysis of our CTO-PCI registry was performed to investigate the prevalence, procedural characteristics, and outcomes specific for each CTO-PCI subset, defined according to the inter-arterial connection anatomy. A total of 209 cases were included. Of the included cases, 45 (22%) and 92 (44%) patients displayed solely IC or CC, respectively, whereas in 72 (34%) both IC and CC were present (mixed). The procedural success rate was high (91.1%) and comparable among the different groups, despite greater lesion complexity in the CC group. The most frequent target vessel was the left circumflex in the IC group (51% of cases) and the right coronary artery in the CC (63%) and mixed (57%) groups. Among the IC cases, 42% showed a poor collateral connection function (2% and 10% for the CC and mixed group, respectively), and 46% showed a suboptimal collateral recipient artery filling (21% and 20% for the CC and mixed group, respectively). Most of the IC cases were performed using a single access (96%). In conclusion, the success and complication rates were comparable among the collateral typology groups, irrespective of the differences in the baseline and procedural characteristics. Phenotyping CTO as hereby proposed might be helpful for targeted procedural considerations.

Minimalistic Hybrid Approach for the Percutaneous Treatment of Coronary Chronic Total Occlusions: Midterm Follow-Up of an International Multicenter Cohort.

The minimalistic hybrid approach (MHA) is a recently proposed algorithm to perform chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), reducing the overall invasiveness of the procedure without impacting the acute results. However, data on midterm results are lacking. This study aimed to evaluate the midterm clinical outcomes of a multicenter international cohort of CTO PCI treated according to the MHA. Data from a consecutive series of patients with a CTO who underwent PCI according to the MHA between February 2019 and March 2022 were prospectively collected in 3 European centers and retrospectively analyzed. The main outcome was the first occurrence of a major adverse cardiac event (MACE), defined as a composite outcome of all-cause death, any myocardial infarction, and target vessel revascularization, at the last follow-up available. A total of 212 patients were included. The majority of the patients were symptomatic for angina (Canadian Cardiovascular Society class 2 or 3: 63.7%) at the time of the index procedure. The mean Japanese-CTO and CASTLE scores were 2.1 ± 1.2 and 2.0 ± 1.3, respectively. Technical success (CTO open with optimal flow) was achieved in 198 patients (93.9%) and procedural success (technical success without in-hospital MACEs) in 195 (91.9%). At the last follow-up available (median 677 days), the cumulative incidence rate of MACEs was 11.5%; in particular, all-cause death was 7.4%, any myocardial infarction was 4.3%, and unplanned target vessel revascularization was 6.5%. In conclusion, the midterm results of the MHA seem to be in line with contemporary results of other CTO PCI algorithms, thus potentially validating the MHA as a valuable alternative, provided that interventionalists are already expert CTO operators and accustomed to the definitions and peculiarities of MHA.

Association between the triglyceride glucose index and chronic total coronary occlusion: A cross-sectional study from southwest China.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Insulin resistance (IR) plays an important role in the atherosclerotic process, and the triglyceride glucose (TyG) index is a reliable indicator of IR and is strongly associated with cardiovascular disease. However, there are few studies regarding the relationship between the TyG index and chronic total coronary occlusion (CTO). Herein, the correlation between the TyG index and CTO, as well as their interactions with other traditional cardiovascular risk factors, were investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS: We enrolled 2691 patients who underwent coronary angiography at Guangyuan Central Hospital from January 2019 to October 2021. TyG index results were used to create three groups using the trichotomous method. CTO was defined as complete occlusion of the coronary artery for ≥3 months. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models, restricted cubic splines, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and subgroup analyses was performed. A significant correlation between the TyG index and CTO was noted. The risk of CTO was increased 2.09-fold in the group with the highest TyG compared with the lowest (OR, 2.09; 95 % CI, 1.05-4.17; P = 0.036). In addition, there was a linear dose-response relationship between the TyG index and CTO (nonlinear P = 0.614). The area under the ROC curve was 0.643 (95 % CI, 0.572-0.654). Using subgroup analyses, we observed that the TyG index was associated with a significantly higher risk of CTO in males and smokers. CONCLUSIONS: An elevated TyG index was related to the risk of CTO and may constitute a meaningful predictor of CTO, particularly in males and in smokers.

Outcomes of chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention from the RAIAN (RAjaie - Iran) registry.

OBJECTIVE: While most of the evidence in CTO interventions emerge from Western and Japanese studies, few data have been published up today from the Middle East. Objective of this study was to evaluate technical success rates and clinical outcomes of an Iranian population undergoing CTO PCI in a tertiary referral hospital. Moreover, we sought to evaluate the efficacy of our CTO teaching program. METHODS: This is a retrospective single-center cohort study including 790 patients who underwent CTO PCI performed by operators with different volumes of CTOs PCI performed per year. According to PCI result, all patients have been divided into successful (n = 555, 70.3 %) and unsuccessful (n = 235, 29.7 %) groups. Study endpoints were Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events and Health Status Improvement evaluated using the Seattle Angina Questionnaire at one year. RESULTS: A global success rate of 70 % for antegrade and 80 % for retrograde approach was shown despite the lack of some CTO-dedicated devices. During the enrollment period, the success rate increased significantly among operators with a lower number of CTO procedures per year. One-year MACE rate was similar in both successful and unsuccessful groups (13.5 % in successful and 10.6 % in unsuccessful group, p = 0.173). One year patients' health status improved significantly only in successful group. CONCLUSIONS: No significant differences of in-hospital and one-year MACE were found between the successful and unsuccessful groups. Angina symptoms and quality of life significantly improved after successful CTO PCI. The RAIAN registry confirmed the importance of operator expertise for CTO PCI success.

Contemporary In-Hospital Outcomes of Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Interventions: Insights from the MENATA (Middle East, North Africa, Turkey, and Asia) Chapter of the PROGRESS-CTO Registry.

Chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been rapidly evolving in different parts of the world. We examined the clinical and angiographic characteristics and procedural outcomes of 1,079 consecutive CTO PCIs performed in 1,063 patients at 10 centers in the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey, and Asia regions between 2018 and 2022. The mean age was 61 ± 10 years and 82% of the patients were men. The prevalence of diabetes (49%) and previous PCI (50%) was high. The most common target vessel was the right coronary artery (51%), followed by the left anterior descending artery (33%) and the circumflex artery (15%). The mean Japanese CTO score was 2.1 ± 1.2 and mean PROGRESS-CTO (Prospective Global Registry for the Study of Chronic Total Occlusion Intervention) score was 1.2 ± 1.0. The technical and procedural success rates were high (91% and 90%, respectively) with a low incidence (1.6%) of in-hospital major adverse cardiac events. The incidence of perforation was 4.6% (n = 50): guidewire exit was the most common mechanism of perforation (48%) and 14 patients required pericardiocentesis (28%). Antegrade wire escalation was the most common crossing strategy used (91%), followed by retrograde approach (24%) and antegrade dissection and re-entry (12%). Median contrast volume, air kerma radiation dose, and fluoroscopy time were 300 (200 to 400) ml, 3.7 (2.0 to 6.3) Gy, and 40 (25 to 65) minutes, respectively. In conclusion, high success and acceptable complication rates are currently achieved at experienced centers in the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey, and Asia regions using a combination of crossing strategies.

Gender-Based Differences in Outcomes After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention of Chronic Total Occlusions (Insights from a Large Single-Center Registry).

Patients who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of chronic total occlusions (CTO) are at a high risk for both periprocedural and post-procedural adverse events. Whether gender-differences in outcomes exist after PCI of CTO remain unclear. Therefore, we sought to investigate gender-based differences in outcomes after CTO-PCI. All patients who underwent elective CTO intervention from January 2012 to December 2017 at The Mount Sinai Hospital (New York, New York) were included. The primary end point of interest was major adverse cardiac events defined as the composite of death, myocardial infarction, and target vessel revascularization at 1 year of follow-up. A total 1,897 patients were included, of which 368 were women (19.4%). Mean follow-up time was 174 days. Women were older (66.8 ± 11.3 years vs 62.6 ± 10.9 years) and had a higher prevalence of co-morbidities including diabetes and chronic kidney disease. There were no significant differences in the rate of successful CTO-PCI between groups (73.5% vs 73.2%, p = 0.91). Women had higher rates of procedure-related complications including increased risk of post-procedural bleeding (4.1% vs 1.8%, p = 0.009) and acute vessel closure (1.36% vs 0.2%, p = 0.009). In multivariable-adjusted analysis, female gender was associated with higher risk of major adverse cardiac event and target vessel revascularization at 1 year. In conclusion, in this large single-center study, women who underwent percutaneous CTO revascularization experienced higher rates of periprocedural complications and worse clinical outcomes at 1 year compared with men. Further research is needed to address disparities in gender-specific outcomes of CTO-PCI.

Frequency and outcomes of ad hoc chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention: insights from the progress-cto registry.

BACKGROUND: Although discouraged, ad hoc chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is occasionally performed. METHODS: We examined the clinical, angiographic characteristics, and procedural outcomes of patients who underwent ad hoc CTO PCI in the Prospective Global Registry for the Study of CTO Intervention (PROGRESS-CTO, NCT02061436). RESULTS: Of the 10,998 patients included in the registry, 899 (8.2%) underwent ad hoc CTO PCI. The incidence of ad hoc CTO PCI decreased from 18% in 2016 to 3% in 2022. Ad hoc CTO PCI patients had a lower prevalence of comorbidities and less complex angiographic characteristics demonstrated by lower J-CTO score (1.9±1.2 vs 2.4±1.3, P < .001). In these patients, PROGRESS-CTO major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) (1.9±1.4 vs 2.5±1.7), mortality (1.2±1.0 vs 1.6±1.1), and perforation (1.5±1.2±2.2 vs 1.5) scores were lower (P < .001). Technical success was similar between the groups (86%). MACE were lower in the ad hoc CTO PCI group (.8% vs 2.0%, P=.009). Ad hoc CTO PCI was not associated with MACE after adjusting for potential confounders, odds ratio: .69 (95% confidence interval, .30-1.57). In patients with higher J-CTO scores, planned CTO PCI was associated with higher technical success (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Approximately 8% of CTO PCI procedures are performed ad hoc, usually in less complex lesions and patients with lower complication risk. While ad hoc CTO PCI might be appropriate for carefully selected cases, a staged approach is recommended for most CTO PCI.

Outcomes of Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Interventions in Patients With Previous Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery.

The outcomes of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) in patients with previous coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery have received limited study. We examined the baseline characteristics and outcomes of CTO PCIs performed at 47 United States and non-United States centers between 2012 and 2023. Of the 12,164 patients who underwent CTO PCI during the study period, 3,475 (29%) had previous CABG. Previous CABG patients were older, more likely to be men, and had more comorbidities and lower left ventricular ejection fraction and estimated glomerular filtration rate. Their CTOs were more likely to have moderate/severe calcification and proximal tortuosity, proximal cap ambiguity, longer lesion length, and higher Japanese CTO scores. The first and final successful crossing strategy was more likely to be retrograde. Previous CABG patients had lower technical (82.1% vs 88.2%, p <0.001) and procedural (80.8% vs 86.8%, p <0.001) success, higher in-hospital mortality (0.8% vs 0.3%, p <0.001), acute myocardial infarction (0.9% vs 0.5%, p = 0.007) and perforation (7.0% vs 4.2%, p <0.001) but lower incidence of pericardial tamponade and pericardiocentesis (0.1% vs 1.3%, p <0.001). At 2-year follow-up, the incidence of major adverse cardiac events, repeat PCI and acute coronary syndrome was significantly higher in previous CABG patients, whereas all-cause mortality was similar. In conclusion, patients with previous CABG who underwent CTO PCI had more complex clinical and angiographic characteristics and lower success rate, higher perioperative mortality, and myocardial infarction but lower tamponade, and higher incidence of major adverse cardiac events with similar all-cause mortality during follow-up.

Impact of calcium on the procedural techniques and outcomes of chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND: Coronary calcification is common and increases the difficulty of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: We examined the impact of calcium on procedural outcomes of 13,079 CTO PCIs performed in 12,799 patients at 46 US and non-US centers between 2012 and 2023. RESULTS: Moderate or severe calcification was present in 46.6% of CTO lesions. Patients whose lesions were calcified were older and more likely to have had prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Calcified lesions were more complex with higher J-CTO score (3.0 ± 1.1 vs. 1.9 ± 1.2; p < 0.001) and lower technical (83.0% vs. 89.9%; p < 0.001) and procedural (81.0% vs. 89.1%; p < 0.001) success rates compared with mildly calcified or non-calcified CTO lesions. The retrograde approach was more commonly used among cases with moderate/severe calcification (40.3% vs. 23.5%; p < 0.001). Balloon angioplasty (76.6%) was the most common lesion preparation technique for calcified lesions, followed by rotational atherectomy (7.3%), laser atherectomy (3.4%) and, intravascular lithotripsy (3.4%). The incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) was higher in cases with moderate or severe calcification (3.0% vs. 1.2%; p < 0.001), as was the incidence of perforation (6.5% vs. 3.4%; p < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, the presence of moderate/severe calcification was independently associated with lower technical success (odds ratio, OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.63-0.84) and higher MACE (OR = 2.33, 95% CI: 1.66-3.27). CONCLUSIONS: Moderate/severe calcification was present in nearly half of CTO lesions, and was associated with higher utilization of the retrograde approach, lower technical and procedural success rates, and higher incidence of in-hospital MACE.

Microvascular Complications Are Associated With Coronary Collateralization in Type 2 Diabetes and Chronic Occlusion.

CONTEXT: Coronary collateral (CC) vessel development appears to be protective with regard to adverse cardiovascular events and survival in patients with coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO). The influence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on CC growth has been controversial. In particular, the role of diabetic microvascular complications (DMC) in determining coronary collateralization has not been elucidated. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether patients with DMC presented differences in CC vessel presence and grading as compared with patients without DMC. METHODS: We conducted a single-center observational study, including consecutive T2DM patients, without previous cardiovascular history, undergoing a clinically indicated coronary angiography for chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) and angiographic evidence of at least one CTO. Patients were subdivided into 2 study groups according to the presence/absence of at least one DMC (neuropathy, nephropathy, or retinopathy). The presence and grading of angiographically visible CC development from the patent vessels to the occluded artery were assessed using the Rentrop classification. RESULTS: We enrolled 157 patients (mean age 68.6 ± 9.8 years; 120 [76.4%] men). Patients with DMC (75 [47.8%]) had a higher prevalence of CC (69 [92.0%] vs 62 [75.6%], P = .006) and high-grade CC (55 [73.3%] vs 39 [47.6%], P = .001) compared with those without, and we found a positive association between the number of DMC in each patient and the prevalence of high-grade CC. CONCLUSION: Among T2DM patients with coronary CTO, the presence of DMC was associated with a high CC development.

National Trends of Percutaneous Mechanical Support Utilization During Percutaneous Coronary Interventions in Chronic Total Occlusion.

Coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO) is common in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease. Percutaneous coronary artery (PCI) interventions have shown favorable outcomes in patients with CTO. Nevertheless, the data regarding the utilization of mechanical circulatory support in CTO PCIs is not well established. We sought to investigate the trends in utilization and periprocedural complications in this population. Using the National Inpatient Sample database from 2011 to 2019, we identified patients diagnosed with CTO who underwent PCI. We investigated the presence of a linear trend in the utilization of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) during those procedures and the associated periprocedural complications using the Cochran-Armitage method. A total of 208,123 patients who were diagnosed with CTO and underwent PCI from 2011 to 2019, of which in 6,319 patients MCS was used during the procedure. Patients in the MCS group were older (67.4 vs 66.4 years), less likely to be women (24.0% vs 26.4%), and equally likely to be African-American (9.4% vs 8.8%) with a higher burden of co-morbidities in terms of coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and atrial fibrillation (p <0.001 for all). Using the Cochrane-Armitage method, we found a statistically significant linear uptrend in the utilization of MCS from 269 (1.4%) to 990 cases (7.0%) from 2011 to 2019. Using multivariable logistic regression, female gender, renal failure, alcohol abuse, coagulopathy, and fluid and electrolyte disorders were identified as independent predictors of mortality in CTO PCI procedures assisted with MCS (p ≤0.007). In conclusion, the utilization of MCS in CTO PCI procedures has been increasing over the years. Female gender and renal failure are independently associated with a higher mortality risk.

H-type hypertension is a risk factor for chronic total coronary artery occlusion: a cross-sectional study from southwest China.

BACKGROUND: Chronic total coronary occlusion (CTO) is serious and the "last bastion" of percutaneous coronary intervention. Hypertension and hyperhomocysteinemia (HHCY) are synergistic and significantly increase cardiovascular event risk. The relationship between H-type hypertension and CTO remains unclear; thus, this cross-sectional study investigated this potential association. METHODS: Between January 2018 and June 2022, 1446 individuals from southwest China were recruited to participate in this study. CTO was defined as complete coronary artery occlusion persisting for over three months. H-type hypertension was defined as hypertension with plasma homocysteine levels ≥ 15 µmol/L. Multivariate logistic regression models were applied to assess the association between H-type hypertension and CTO. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to determine the accuracy of H-type hypertension in predicting CTO. RESULTS: Of the 1446 individuals, 397 had CTO, and 545 had H-type hypertension. After multivariate adjustment, the odds ratio (OR) for CTO in individuals with H-type hypertension was 2.3-fold higher (95% CI 1.01-5.26) than that in healthy controls. The risk of CTO is higher in individuals with H-type hypertension than in those with isolated HHCY and hypertension. The area under the ROC curve for CTO was 0.685 (95% CI, 0.653-0.717) for H-type hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: In southwest China, H-type hypertension is significantly related to the occurrence of CTO. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This retrospective study was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry ( http://www.chictr.org.cn , ChiCTR2100050519.2.2).

Interventions in chronic total occlusions with bifurcation lesions: incidence, treatment, and in-hospital outcome.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Coronary chronic total occlusions (CTO) involving bifurcation lesions are a challenging lesion subset that is understudied in the literature. This study analyzed the incidence, procedural strategy, in-hospital outcomes and complications of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) for bifurcation-CTO (BIF-CTO). METHODS: We assessed data from 607 consecutive CTO patients treated at the Institut Cardiovasculaire Paris Sud (ICPS), Massy, France between January 2015 and February 2020. Procedural strategy, in-hospital outcomes and complication rates were compared between 2 patient subgroups: BIF-CTO (n=245=and non-BIF-CTO (n=362). RESULTS: The mean patient age was 63.2±10.6 years; 79.6% were men. Bifurcation lesions were involved in 40.4% of the procedures. Overall lesion complexity was high (mean J-CTO score 2.30±1.16, mean PROGRESS-CTO score 1.37±0.94). The preferred bifurcation treatment strategy was a provisional approach (93.5%). BIF-CTO patients presented with higher lesion complexity, as assessed by J-CTO score (2.42±1.02 vs 2.21±1.23 in the non-BIF-CTO patients, P=.025) and PROGRESS-CTO score (1.60±0.95 vs 1.22±0.90 in the non-BIF-CTO patients, P<.001). Procedural success was 78.9% and was not affected by the presence of bifurcation lesions (80.4% in the BIF-CTO group, 77.8% in the non-BIF-CTO-CTO group, P=.447) or the bifurcation site (proximal BIF-CTO 76.9%, mid-BIF-CTO 83.8%, distal BIF-CTO 85%, P=.204). Complication rates were similar in BIF-CTO and non-BIF-CTO. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of bifurcation lesions is high in contemporary CTO PCI. Patients with BIF-CTO present with higher lesion complexity, with no impact on procedural success or complication rates when the predominant strategy is provisional stenting.

Impact of Percutaneous Intervention Compared to Pharmaceutical Therapy on Complex Arrhythmias in Patients With Chronic Total Coronary Occlusion. Rationale and Design of the CTO-ARRHYTHMIA Study.

Chronic total coronary occlusions (CTO) occur in up to 50 % of patients with coronary artery disease by angiography. In CTO-patients, clinically significant arrhythmia is potentially important and insufficiently investigated. Therefore, the purpose of the CTO-ARRHYTHMIA study was to investigate the incidence of loop recorder detected clinically significant arrhythmias and the effect on arrhythmias of revascularization by CTO-PCI. The study is an independent sub-study of the NOrdic-Baltic Randomized Registry Study for Evaluation of PCI in Chronic Total Coronary Occlusion (NOBLE-CTO); ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03392415. NOBLE-CTO prospectively collects procedural data, quality of life measures, echocardiographic and cardiac MRI findings before and after treatment as well as clinical outcomes in all CTO patients that may be treated by PCI.

Trends and In-Hospital Outcomes of Patients Admitted with ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction and Chronic Total Occlusions: Insights from a National Database.

Chronic total occlusion (CTO) is seen in a minority of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients and is implicated in poor outcomes due to "double jeopardy." There is no large national data evaluating the trend and outcomes of STEMI patients who have a CTO (STEMI-CTO). We analyzed the Nationwide In-patients sample database from 2008 to 2011 and compared the trends, clinical characteristics, and in-hospital outcomes of STEMI patients with and without CTO. An increasing trend of CTO was seen in STEMI patients from 2008 to 2011. STEMI-CTO patients were younger, more likely develop cardiogenic shock, undergo percutaneous coronary intervention and thrombolysis. In this large, contemporary, national database, we also found that STEMI-CTO patients were more likely to have iatrogenic cardiac & vascular complications and undergo percutaneous mechanical circulatory support. We did not find significant difference in in-hospital deaths between STEMI-CTO patients and those without CTO.

Incidence, Mechanisms, Treatment, and Outcomes of Coronary Artery Perforation During Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Coronary artery perforation is a feared complication of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Our objective was to describe the incidence, mechanisms, treatment, and outcomes of coronary artery perforation during CTO PCI. We analyzed the baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics and procedural outcomes of 10,454 CTO PCIs performed in 10,219 patients between 2012 and 2022. The incidence of coronary perforation was 4.9% (n = 503). Patients who experienced coronary perforation were older and were more likely to have had previous coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Procedures that resulted in perforation were more complex, with higher Japanese CTO and Prospective Global Registry for the Study of Chronic Total Occlusion Intervention (PROGRESS-CTO) scores. Technical (66% vs 87%, p <0.001) and procedural (55% vs 87%, p <0.001) success rates were lower in perforation cases. The CTO target vessel was the most common perforation site (66%). The retrograde approach was responsible for the perforation in 47% of cases, and guidewire exit was the most common perforation mechanism. The proportion of Ellis class 1, 2, 3, and 3 -"cavity spilling" coronary perforations was 20%, 41%, 28%, and 11%, respectively. In 52% of perforations, 1 or more interventions were required: prolonged balloon inflation (23%), covered stent deployment (21%), coil embolization (6%), and/or autologous fat embolization (4%). Tamponade requiring pericardiocentesis occurred in 69 patients (14%). The incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events was higher in perforation cases (18% vs 1.3%, p <0.001). In conclusion, coronary artery perforation occurred in 4.9% of CTO PCIs performed by experienced operators and was associated with lower technical success and higher in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events.