Challenges in the diagnosis and management of dry tamponade.

Dry tamponade is a rare complication of percutaneous coronary intervention. It encompasses a heterogenous pathophysiology and is used to describe hemodynamic compromise secondary to a coronary artery perforation, without free-flowing fluid in the pericardium. Tamponade physiology can result from compressive epicardial, intramyocardial, subepicardial hematomas, or dissecting intramyocardial hematomas. The diagnosis of dry tamponade requires hemodynamic derangement in the context of a compressive hematoma as demonstrated by imaging. Although echocardiography can often help identify dry tamponade, additional studies including right heart catheterization, computed tomography, or cardiac magnetic resonance imaging can inform the exact mechanism and help guide management. This article describes a case of dry tamponade, reviews the existing literature on the topic, and offers expert recommendations on diagnosis and management.

Chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention of anomalous coronary arteries: insights from the PROGRESS CTO registry.

BACKGROUND: There is limited information about the frequency and outcomes of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in anomalous coronary arteries (ACA). METHODS: We examined the clinical and angiographic characteristics and procedural outcomes of CTO PCI in ACA among 14,173 patients who underwent 14,470 CTO PCIs at 46 US and non-US centers between 2012 and 2023. RESULTS: Of 14,470 CTO PCIs, 36 (0.24%) were CTO PCIs in an ACA. ACA patients had similar baseline characteristics as those without an ACA. The type of ACA in which the CTO lesion was found were as follows: anomalous origin of the right coronary artery (ARCA) (17, 48.5%), anomalous origin of left circumflex coronary artery (9, 25.7%), left anterior descending artery and left circumflex artery with separate origins (4, 11.4%), anomalous origin of the left anterior descending artery (2, 5.7%), dual left anterior descending artery (2, 5.7%) and woven coronary artery 1 (2.8%). The Japan CTO score was similar between both groups (2.17 ± 1.32 vs 2.38 ± 1.26, p = 0.30). The target CTO in ACA patients was more likely to have moderate/severe tortuosity (44% vs 28%, p = 0.035), required more often use of retrograde approach (27% vs 12%, p = 0.028), and was associated with longer procedure (142.5 min vs 112.00 min [74.0, 164.0], p = 0.028) and fluoroscopy (56 min [40, 79 ml] vs 42 min [25, 67], p = 0.014) time and higher contrast volume (260 ml [190, 450] vs 200 ml [150, 300], p = 0.004) but had similar procedural (91.4% vs 85.6%, p = 0.46) and technical (91.4% vs 87.0%, p = 0.59) success. No major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were seen in ACA patients (0% [0] vs 1.9% [281] in non-ACA patients, p = 1.00). Two coronary perforations were reported in ACA CTO PCI (p = 0.7 vs. non-ACA CTO PCI). CONCLUSIONS: CTO PCI of ACA comprise 0.24% of all CTO PCIs performed in the PROGRESS CTO registry and was associated with higher procedural complexity but similar technical and procedural success rates and similar MACE compared with non-ACA CTO PCI.

Unlocking Success: Strategies for Preventing and Managing Complications in Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Procedures.

Complications in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), particularly in chronic total occlusion (CTO) cases, pose notable challenges, with a mortality rate of approximately 0.4% during hospitalization, mainly due to issues like perforation and tamponade. Although risk assessment tools can aid in evaluating periprocedural complication risk, prevention and preparedness take precedence. Guided by the "3 Ps" framework-prevention, preparedness, and planning-we navigate the complexities of managing complications in CTO PCI procedures. This emphasizes the importance of comprehensive patient discussions, adherence to appropriateness use criteria, and ensuring a well-trained team equipped with standardized equipment. Furthermore, it is crucial to extract valuable insights from encountered complications, turning potential setbacks into invaluable learning opportunities. This positive approach not only fosters individual growth but also contributes to the advancement of CTO PCI practices. Various complications specific to CTO PCI are addressed, including donor vessel injury, equipment loss/entrapment, radiation injury, and coronary perforation.

Left atrial compression syndrome secondary to coronary artery perforation: Pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management strategies.

Coronary perforation (CP) poses a significant risk of morbidity and mortality, particularly, in patients with a history of cardiac surgery. The occurrence of loculated pericardial effusion presents distinctive challenges in these postcardiac surgical patients. This study delves into the complexities arising from the formation of loculated pericardial effusions subsequent to CP, with a specific focus on the loculated effusion in the posterior wall leading to left atrial compression syndrome. This analysis is dedicated to elucidating pathophysiology diagnostic and treatment strategies tailored for addressing left atrium compression syndrome, providing invaluable insights into the intricacies of diagnosing, treating, and managing this entity in the postcardiac surgical patient.

SCAI Expert Consensus Statement on the Management of Calcified Coronary Lesions.

The prevalence of calcification in obstructive coronary artery disease is on the rise. Percutaneous coronary intervention of these calcified lesions is associated with increased short-term and long-term risks. To optimize percutaneous coronary intervention results, there is an expanding array of treatment modalities geared toward calcium modification prior to stent implantation. The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions, herein, puts forth an expert consensus document regarding methods to identify types of calcified coronary lesions, a central algorithm to help guide use of the various calcium modification strategies, tips for when using each treatment modality, and a look at future studies and trials for treating this challenging lesion subset.

Predicting Successful Chronic Total Occlusion Crossing With Primary Antegrade Wiring Using Machine Learning.

BACKGROUND: There is limited data on predicting successful chronic total occlusion crossing using primary antegrade wiring (AW). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to develop and validate a machine learning (ML) prognostic model for successful chronic total occlusion crossing using primary AW. METHODS: We used data from 12,136 primary AW cases performed between 2012 and 2023 at 48 centers in the PROGRESS CTO registry (Prospective Global Registry for the Study of Chronic Total Occlusion Intervention; NCT02061436) to develop 5 ML models. Hyperparameter tuning was performed for the model with the best performance, and the SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) explainer was implemented to estimate feature importance. RESULTS: Primary AW was successful in 6,965 cases (57.4%). Extreme gradient boosting was the best performing ML model with an average area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.775 (± 0.010). After hyperparameter tuning, the average area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of the extreme gradient boosting model was 0.782 in the training set and 0.780 in the testing set. Among the factors examined, occlusion length had the most significant impact on predicting successful primary AW crossing followed by blunt/no stump, presence of interventional collaterals, vessel diameter, and proximal cap ambiguity. In contrast, aorto-ostial lesion location had the least impact on the outcome. A web-based application for predicting successful primary AW wiring crossing is available online (PROGRESS-CTO website) (https://www.progresscto.org/predict-aw-success). CONCLUSIONS: We developed an ML model with 14 features and high predictive capacity for successful primary AW in chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention.

Perceptions of interventional cardiologists on diversity and discrimination.

Background: There are limited data on diversity and discrimination against interventional cardiologists (ICs). Methods: We performed an online, anonymous, international survey of interventional cardiologists on their perceptions of diversity and discrimination in their field. Results: A total of 445 ICs participated in the survey. The median age of participants was 46 to 50 years and most (60%) practice in the United States. Among the respondents, 13% identified as women, while 31% identified as Asian, 10% as Latino, and 3.2% as Black/African American. Women ICs were less likely to be married (62% vs 92%; P < .001) or have children (48% vs 87%; P < .001). Women, non-native English speakers, and non-white individuals had a higher likelihood of reporting discrimination from patients/families, peers, supervisors, support staff, and nursing staff, compared with men, native English speakers, and non-Hispanic white individuals, respectively. Women were less satisfied with the level of gender diversity in their workplace (25% vs 45%; P = .015) and were more likely to believe that women physicians have fewer opportunities in the field of IC compared with men (69% vs 35%; P < .001). Non-white individuals were more likely to believe that their race/ethnicity may impede the progress of their career (54% vs 15%; P < .001), that their race/ethnicity negatively impacted their fellowship prospects/acceptance (35% vs 11%; P < .001), and that their religion negatively impacted their fellowship prospects/acceptance (17% vs 4%; P = .003). Several participants (41%) expressed concerns that diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives might result in unintended consequences. Conclusions: Our survey suggests that ICs perceive high rates of discrimination in their field.

Controlled antegrade and retrograde subintimal tracking (CART) for recanalisation of chronic total occlusions.

BACKGROUND: Controlled antegrade and retrograde subintimal tracking (CART) is rarely performed in contemporary chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). AIMS: We aimed to analyse the indications, procedural characteristics, and outcomes of CART at a high-volume CTO programme. METHODS: We included all patients undergoing a retrograde CTO PCI in which CART was performed at our institution between January 2019 and November 2023. The primary endpoint was technical success. RESULTS: Of 1,582 CTO PCI, the retrograde approach was performed in 603 procedures (38.1%), and CART was used in 45 cases (7.5%). The mean age was 69.1±10.3 years, 93.3% were male, and prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery was present in 68.9%. The most common target CTO vessel was the right coronary artery (48.9%). Anatomical complexity was high (Multicentre CTO Registry of Japan [J-CTO] score of 3.6±0.9). The most common collateral used for CART was a saphenous vein graft (62.2%). Advanced calcium modification was required in 15.6% of cases. CART was successful in 73.3%. Technical and procedural success was 82.2%. Coronary perforation was diagnosed in 4 subjects (8.9%), but only 1 patient (2.2%) suffered tamponade and required pericardiocentesis. No other in-hospital major adverse cardiac events were diagnosed. CONCLUSIONS: CART is a useful technique in selected, very complex CTOs tackled with the retrograde approach. Success rates were high, while complication rates were low, considering the high anatomical complexity and baseline patient risk.

Retrograde chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention via ipsilateral collaterals.

BACKGROUND: There is limited data on retrograde chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) via ipsilateral epicardial collaterals (IEC). AIMS: To compare the clinical and angiographic characteristics, and outcomes of retrograde CTO PCI via IEC versus other collaterals in a large multicenter registry. METHODS: Observational cohort study from the Prospective Global registry for the study of Chronic Total Occlusion Intervention (PROGRESS-CTO). RESULTS: Of 4466 retrograde cases performed between 2012 and 2023, crossing through IEC was attempted in 191 (4.3%) cases with 50% wiring success. The most common target vessel in the IEC group was the left circumflex (50%), in comparison to other retrograde cases, where the right coronary artery was most common (70%). The Japanese CTO score was similar between the two groups (3.13 ± 1.23 vs. 3.06 ± 1.06, p = 0.456); however, the IEC group had a higher Prospective Global Registry for the Study of Chronic Total Occlusion Intervention (PROGRESS-CTO) score (1.95 ± 1.02 vs. 1.27 ± 0.92, p < 0.0001). The most used IEC guidewire was the SUOH 03 (39%), and the most frequently used microcatheter was the Caravel (43%). Dual injection was less common in IEC cases (66% vs. 89%, p < 0.0001). Technical (76% vs. 79%, p = 0.317) and procedural success rates (74% vs. 79%, p = 0.281) were not different between the two groups. However, IEC cases had a higher procedural complications rate (25.8% vs. 16.4%, p = 0.0008), including perforations (17.3% vs. 9.0%, p = 0.0001), pericardiocentesis (3.1% vs. 1.2%, p = 0.018), and dissection/thrombus of the donor vessel (3.7% vs. 1.2%, p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: The use of IEC for retrograde CTO PCI was associated with similar technical and procedural success rates when compared with other retrograde cases, but higher incidence of periprocedural complications.

Validation of the BCIS CHIP Score in chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND: The complex high-risk indicated percutaneous coronary intervention (CHIP) score is a tool developed using the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society (BCIS) database to define CHIP cases and predict in-hospital major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events (MACCE). AIM: To assess the validity of the CHIP score in chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: We evaluated the performance of the CHIP score on 8341 CTO PCIs from the Prospective Global Registry for the Study of Chronic Total Occlusion Intervention (PROGRESS-CTO) performed at 44 centers between 2012 and 2023. RESULTS: In our cohort, 7.8% (n = 647) of patients had a CHIP score of 0, 50.2% (n = 4192) had a CHIP score of 1-2, 26.2% (n = 2187) had a CHIP score of 3-4, 11.7% (n = 972) had a CHIP score of 5-6, 3.3% (n = 276) had a CHIP score of 7-8, and 0.8% (n = 67) had a CHIP score of 9+. The incidence of MACCE for a CHIP score of 0 was 0.6%, reaching as high as 8.7% for a CHIP score of 9+, confirming that a higher CHIP score is associated with a higher risk of MACCE. The estimated increase in the risk of MACCE per one score unit increase was 100% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 65%-141%). The AUC of the CHIP score model for predicting MACCE in our cohort was 0.63 (95% CI: 0.58-0.67). There was a positive correlation between the CHIP score and the PROGRESS-CTO MACE score (Spearman's correlation: 0.37; 95% CI: 0.35-0.39; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The CHIP score has modest predictive capacity for MACCE in CTO PCI.

Predictors of successful primary antegrade wiring in chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND: Antegrade wiring is the most commonly used chronic total occlusion (CTO) crossing technique. METHODS: Using data from the PROGRESS CTO registry (Prospective Global Registry for the Study of Chronic Total Occlusion Intervention; Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT02061436), we examined the clinical and angiographic characteristics and procedural outcomes of CTO percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) performed using a primary antegrade wiring strategy. RESULTS: Of the 13 563 CTO PCIs performed at 46 centers between 2012 and 2023, a primary antegrade wiring strategy was used in 11 332 (83.6%). Upon multivariable logistic regression analysis, proximal cap ambiguity (odds ratio [OR]: 0.52; 95% CI, 0.46-0.59), side branch at the proximal cap (OR: 0.85; 95% CI, 0.77-0.95), blunt/no stump (OR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.47-0.59), increasing lesion length (OR [per 10 mm increase]: 0.79; 95% CI, 0.76-0.81), moderate to severe calcification (OR: 0.73; 95% CI, 0.66-0.81), moderate to severe proximal tortuosity (OR: 0.67; 95% CI, 0.59-0.75), bifurcation at the distal cap (OR: 0.66; 95% CI, 0.59-0.73), left anterior descending artery CTO (OR [vs right coronary artery]: 1.44; 95% CI, 1.28-1.62) and left circumflex CTO (OR [vs right coronary artery]: 1.22; 95% CI, 1.07-1.40), non-in-stent restenosis lesion (OR: 0.56; 95% CI, 0.49-0.65), and good distal landing zone (OR: 1.18; 95% CI, 1.06-1.32) were independently associated with primary antegrade wiring crossing success. CONCLUSIONS: The use of antegrade wiring as the initial strategy was high (83.6%) in our registry. We identified several parameters associated with primary antegrade wiring success.

Comparative Analysis of Polymer Versus Non-Polymer Jacketed Wires in Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

There is significant variation in wire utilization patterns for chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of polymer-jacketed wires (PJWs) versus non-PJWs in anterograde procedures. We analyzed clinical and angiographic characteristics, and procedural outcomes of 7,575 anterograde CTO percutaneous coronary interventions that were performed at 47 centers between 2012 and 2023. Cases in which PJWs were exclusively used were classified in the PJW group, whereas cases where at least one non-PJW was employed were classified in the non-PJW group. Study end points were as follows: technical success, coronary perforation, major adverse cardiac event. PJWs were exclusively used in 3,481 cases (46.0%). These cases had lower prevalence of proximal cap ambiguity, blunt stump, and moderate/severe calcification. They also had lower Japanese CTO (J-CTO), Prospective Global Registry for the Study of Chronic Total Occlusion (PROGRESS-CTO), and PROGRESS-CTO complications scores, higher technical success (94.3% vs 85.7%, p <0.001), and lower perforation rates (2.2% vs 3.2%, p = 0.013). Major adverse cardiac event rates did not differ between groups (1.3% vs 1.5%, p = 0.53). Exclusive use of PJWs was independently associated with higher technical success in both the multivariable (odds ratio [OR] 2.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.13 to 3.36, p <0.001) and inverse probability of treatment weight analysis (OR 2.43, 95% CI 2.04 to 2.89, p <0.001). Exclusive use of PJWs was associated with lower risk of perforation in the multivariable analysis (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.95, p = 0.02), and showed a similar trend in the inverse probability of treatment weight analysis (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.57 to 1.04, p = 0.09). Exclusive use of PJWs is associated with higher technical success and lower perforation risk in this non-randomized series of patients.

Extreme coronary radiation doses from intravascular brachytherapy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate coronary artery integrity after very high radiation doses from intravascular brachytherapy (IVBT) in the setting of source asymmetry. METHODS: Ten patients treated for right coronary artery (RCA) in-stent restenosis (ISR) between 2017 and 2021 and for whom follow-up angiograms were available were identified from departmental records. Procedural angiograms, taken to document source position, were used to estimate vascular wall doses. The 2.5 mm proximal source marker was used to estimate the distance from source center to the media and adventitia. Distances were converted to dose (Gy) using the manufacturers' dose fall-off table, measured in water. Follow-up films were scrutinized for any sign of late vascular damage. RESULTS: The average minimal distance from catheter center to the adjacent media and the adventitia was 0.9 mm (±0.2) mm and 1.4 mm (±0.2), respectively. The average maximum media and adventitial doses adjacent to the source were 75 Gy (±26) and 39 Gy (±14), respectively. Follow-up angiograms were available from 0.6 years to 3.9 years following IVBT (median: 1.6 years). No IVBT-treated vascular segment showed signs of degeneration, dissection or aneurysm. CONCLUSION: IVBT vascular wall doses are frequently far higher than prescribed. The lack of complications in this unselected group of patients gives a modicum of reassurance that raising the prescription dose is unlikely to lead to a sudden appearance of complications.

Intentional creation of dissection flaps to treat perforations during chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention.

Chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) carries a non-negligible risk of coronary perforation. Definitive treatment of a proximal large vessel perforation often requires the use of covered stents; however, the latter carry significant risk of restenosis and thrombosis, and is not feasible if wire control of the distal vessel has not been achieved. We describe two cases of target vessel perforations during CTO PCI which were treated by the intentional creation of dissection flaps using the subintimal tracking and re-entry technique to seal the perforation.

International survey of chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention operators.

BACKGROUND: Contemporary chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) practice has received limited study. AIM: To examine the contemporary CTO PCI practice. METHODS: We performed an online, anonymous, international survey of CTO PCI operators. RESULTS: Five hundred forty-five CTO PCI operators and 190 interventional cardiology fellows with an interest in CTO PCI participated in this survey. Almost half were from the United States (41%), most (93%) were men, and the median h/week spent in the hospital was 58. Median annual case numbers were 205 (150-328) for PCIs and 20 (5-50) for CTO PCIs. Almost one-fifth (17%) entered CTO cases into registries, such as PROGRESS-CTO (55%) and EuroCTO (20%). More than one-third worked at academic institutions (39%), 31% trained dedicated CTO fellows, and 22% proctored CTO PCI. One-third (34%) had dedicated CTO PCI days. Most (51%) never discharged CTO patients the same day, while 17% discharged CTO patients the same day >50% of the time. After successful guidewire crossing, 38% used intravascular imaging >90% of the time. Most used CTO scores including J-CTO (81%), PROGRESS-CTO (35%), and PROGRESS-CTO complications scores (30%). Coronary artery perforation was encountered within the last month by 19%. On a scale of 0-10, the median comfort levels in treating coronary artery perforation were: covered stents 8.8 (7.0-10), coil embolization 5.0 (2.1-8.5), and fat embolization 3.7 (0.6-7.3). Most (51%) participants had a complication cart/kit and 25% conducted regular complication drills with catheterization laboratory staff. CONCLUSION: Contemporary CTO PCI practices vary widely. Further research on barriers to following the guiding principles of CTO PCI may improve patient outcomes.

Activated clotting time and outcomes of chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention: insights from the PROGRESS-CTO Registry.

BACKGROUND: The optimal range of activated clotting time (ACT) in chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has received limited study. METHODS: We examined the association between ACT and in-hospital ischemic and bleeding outcomes in patients who underwent CTO PCI in the Prospective Global Registry for the Study of CTO Intervention. RESULTS: ACT values were available for 4377 patients who underwent CTO PCI between 2012 and 2023 at 29 centers. The mean ACT distribution was less than 250 seconds (19%), 250 to 349 seconds (50%), and greater than or equal to 350 seconds (31%). The incidence of ischemic events, bleeding events, and net adverse cardiovascular events (NACE) was 0.8%, 3.0%, and 3.8%, respectively. In multiple logistic regression analysis, increasing nadir ACT was associated with decreasing ischemic events (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] per 50-second increments: 0.69 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.50-0.94; P=.017]; and increasing peak ACT was associated with increasing bleeding events (aOR per 50-second increments: 1.17 [95% CI ,1.01-1.36; P=.032]). A U-shaped association was seen between mean ACT and NACE, where restricted cubic spline analysis demonstrated that patients with a low ( less than 200 seconds) or high ( greater than 400 seconds) ACT had increasing NACE risk compared with an ACT of 200 to 400 seconds (aOR 2.06, 95% CI 1.18-3.62; P=.012). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients who underwent CTO PCI, mean ACT had a U-shaped relationship with NACE, where patients with a low ( less than 200 seconds) ACT (driven by ischemic events) or high ( greater than 400 seconds) ACT (driven by bleeding) had higher NACE compared with an ACT of 200 to 400 seconds.