Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND: Intravascular imaging can facilitate chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention. METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined the frequency of use and outcomes of intravascular imaging among 619 CTO percutaneous coronary interventions performed between 2012 and 2015 at 7 US centers. Mean age was 65.4+/-10 years and 85% of the patients were men. Intravascular imaging was used in 38%: intravascular ultrasound in 36%, optical coherence tomography in 3%, and both in 1.45%. Intravascular imaging was used for stent sizing (26.3%), stent optimization (38.0%), and CTO crossing (35.7%, antegrade in 27.9%, and retrograde in 7.8%). Intravascular imaging to facilitate crossing was used more frequently in lesions with proximal cap ambiguity (49% versus 26%, P<0.0001) and with retrograde as compared with antegrade-only cases (67% versus 31%, P<0.0001). Despite higher complexity (Japanese CTO score: 2.86+/-1.19 versus 2.43+/-1.19, P=0.001), cases in which imaging was used for crossing had similar technical and procedural success (92.8% versus 89.6%, P=0.302 and 90.1% versus 88.3%, P=0.588, respectively) and similar incidence of major cardiac adverse events (2.7% versus 3.2%, P=0.772). Use of intravascular imaging was associated with longer procedure (192 minutes [interquartile range 130, 255] versus 131 minutes [90, 192], P<0.0001) and fluoroscopy (71 minutes [44, 93] versus 39 minutes [25, 69], P<0.0001) time. CONCLUSIONS: Intravascular imaging is frequently performed during CTO percutaneous coronary intervention both for crossing and for stent selection/optimization. Despite its use in more complex lesion subsets, intravascular imaging was associated with similar rates of technical and procedural success for CTO percutaneous coronary intervention. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02061436.

BACKGROUND: We assessed efficacy and safety of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using antegrade dissection re-entry (ADR). METHODS: We examined outcomes of ADR among 1313 CTO PCIs performed at 11 US centers between 2012-2015. RESULTS: 84.1% of patients were men. Prevalence of prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery was 34.3%. Overall technical and procedural success were 90.1% and 88.7%, respectively. In-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) occurred in 31 patients (2.4%). ADR was used in 458 cases (34.9%), and was the first strategy in 169 cases (12.9%). ADR cases were angiographically more complex than non-ADR cases (mean J-CTO score: 2.8+/-1.2 vs. 2.4+/-1.2, p<0.001). ADR was performed using the CrossBoss catheter in 246 of 458 (53.7%) and the Stingray system in 251 ADR cases (54.8%). Compared with non-ADR cases, ADR cases had lower technical (86.9% vs. 91.8%, p=0.005) and procedural success (85.0% vs. 90.7%, p=0.002), but similar risk for MACE (2.9% vs. 2.2%, p=0.42). ADR was associated with longer procedure and fluoroscopy time, and higher patient air kerma dose and contrast volume (all p<0.001). After excluding retrograde cases, ADR and antegrade wire escalation (AWE) had similar technical success (92.7% vs. 94.2%, p=0.43), procedural success (91.8% vs. 94.1%, p=0.23), and MACE (2.1% vs. 0.6%, p=0.12). CONCLUSIONS: ADR is used relatively frequently in contemporary CTO PCI, especially for challenging lesions and after failure of other strategies. ADR is associated with similar success rates and risk for complications as compared with AWE, and is important for achieving high procedural success.

BACKGROUND: Administration of a large amount of contrast volume during chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) may lead to contrast-induced nephropathy. METHODS: We examined the association of clinical, angiographic and procedural variables with contrast volume administered during 1330 CTO-PCI procedures performed at 12 experienced United States centers. RESULTS: Technical and procedural success was 90% and 88%, respectively, and mean contrast volume was 289 +/- 138 mL. Approximately 33% of patients received >320 mL of contrast (high contrast utilization group). On univariable analysis, male gender (P=.01), smoking (P=.01), prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery (P=.04), moderate or severe calcification (P=.01), moderate or severe tortuosity (P=.04), proximal cap ambiguity (P=.01), distal cap at a bifurcation (P<.001), side branch at the proximal cap (P<.001), blunt/no stump (P=.01), occlusion length (P<.001), higher J-CTO score (P=.02), use of antegrade dissection and reentry or retrograde approach (P<.001), ad hoc CTO-PCI (P=.04), dual arterial access (P<.001), and 8 Fr guide catheters (P<.001) were associated with higher contrast volume; conversely, diabetes mellitus (P=.01) and in-stent restenosis (P=.01) were associated with lower contrast volume. On multivariable analysis, moderate/severe calcification (P=.04), distal cap at a bifurcation (P<.001), ad hoc CTO-PCI (P<.001), dual arterial access (P=.01), 8 Fr guide catheters (P=.02), and use of antegrade dissection/reentry or the retrograde approach (P<.001) were independently associated with higher contrast use, whereas diabetes (P=.02), larger target vessel diameter (P=.03), and presence of "interventional" collaterals (P<.001) were associated with lower contrast utilization. CONCLUSIONS: Several baseline clinical, angiographic, and procedural characteristics are associated with higher contrast volume administration during CTO-PCI.

BACKGROUND: We sought to examine the efficacy and safety of chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention using the retrograde approach. METHODS AND RESULTS: We compared the outcomes of the retrograde versus antegrade-only approach to chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention among 1301 procedures performed at 11 experienced US centers between 2012 and 2015. The mean age was 65.5+/-10 years, and 84% of the patients were men with a high prevalence of diabetes mellitus (45%) and previous coronary artery bypass graft surgery (34%). Overall technical and procedural success rates were 90% and 89%, respectively, and in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events occurred in 31 patients (2.4%). The retrograde approach was used in 539 cases (41%), either as the initial strategy (46%) or after a failed antegrade attempt (54%). When compared with antegrade-only cases, retrograde cases were significantly more complex, both clinically (previous coronary artery bypass graft surgery prevalence, 48% versus 24%; P<0.001) and angiographically (mean Japan-chronic total occlusion score, 3.1+/-1.0 versus 2.1+/-1.2; P<0.001) and had lower technical success (85% versus 94%; P<0.001) and higher major adverse cardiovascular events (4.3% versus 1.1%; P<0.001) rates. On multivariable analysis, the presence of suitable collaterals, no smoking, no previous coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and left anterior descending artery target vessel were independently associated with technical success using the retrograde approach. CONCLUSIONS: The retrograde approach is commonly used in contemporary chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention, especially among more challenging lesions and patients. Although associated with lower success and higher major adverse cardiovascular event rates in comparison to antegrade-only crossing, retrograde percutaneous coronary intervention remains critical for achieving overall high success rates.

BACKGROUND:The use of saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) for retrograde native-vessel chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has received limited study. METHODS:We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and coronary angiograms of retrograde CTO-PCI performed through an SVG at four United States institutions between 2012 and 2013. RESULTS:During the study period, retrograde CTO-PCI was performed in 144 of 572 cases (25.2%) and retrograde CTO-PCI via SVG in 21 patients (14.6% of all retrograde cases). Mean age was 71 ± 7 years and 95.2% of the patients were men. The CTO target vessel was the right coronary (38%), circumflex (38%), and left anterior descending (24%) artery. Mean J-CTO score was 3.5 ± 1.0. The most common reentry technique was reverse controlled antegrade dissection and reentry. Technical and procedural success rates were 86% and 81%, respectively, with retrograde SVG-PCI attempts being successful in 67%. A major adverse cardiac event occurred in 2 patients (1 periprocedural myocardial infarction and 1 tamponade resulting in death). Median contrast volume, fluoroscopy time, and procedure time were 250 mL, 91.6 minutes, and 214 minutes, respectively. Two SVGs were coiled due to competitive flow after CTO recanalization. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Retrograde native-vessel CTO-PCI via SVG represents a small proportion of retrograde CTO-PCIs and was associated with high technical success rates, but may carry increased risk for complications.

We sought to examine the impact of previous failure on the outcomes of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We examined the clinical and angiographic characteristics and procedural outcomes of 1,213 consecutive patients who underwent 1,232 CTO PCIs from 2012 to 2015 at 12 US centers. Mean age was 65 +/- 10 years, and 84.8% of patients were men. A previously failed attempt had been performed in 215 patients (17.5%). As compared with patients without previous CTO PCI failure, patients with previous failure had higher Multicenter CTO Registry in Japan CTO score (2.40 +/- 1.13 vs 3.28 +/- 1.29, p <0.0001) and were more likely to have in-stent restenosis (10.5% vs 28.4%, p <0.0001) and to undergo recanalization attempts using the retrograde approach (41% vs 50%, p = 0.011). Technical (90% vs 88%, p = 0.390) and procedural (89% vs 86%, p = 0.184) success were similar in the 2 study groups; however, median procedure time (125 vs 142 minutes, p = 0.026) and fluoroscopy time (45 vs 55 minutes, p = 0.015) were longer in the previous failure group. In conclusion, a previously failed CTO PCI attempt is associated with higher angiographic complexity, longer procedural duration, and fluoroscopy time, but not with the success and complication rates of subsequent CTO PCI attempts.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to develop a novel parsimonious score for predicting technical success of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) performed using the hybrid approach. BACKGROUND: Predicting technical success of CTO PCI can facilitate clinical decision making and procedural planning. METHODS: We analyzed clinical and angiographic parameters from 781 CTO PCIs included in PROGRESS CTO (Prospective Global Registry for the Study of Chronic Total Occlusion Intervention) using a derivation and validation cohort (2:1 sampling ratio). Variables with strong association with technical success in multivariable analysis were assigned 1 point, and a 4-point score was developed from summing all points. The PROGRESS CTO score was subsequently compared with the J-CTO (Multicenter Chronic Total Occlusion Registry in Japan) score in the validation cohort. RESULTS: Technical success was 92.9%. On multivariable analysis, factors associated with technical success included proximal cap ambiguity (beta coefficient [b] = 0.88), moderate/severe tortuosity (b = 1.18), circumflex artery CTO (b = 0.99), and absence of "interventional" collaterals (b = 0.88). The resulting score demonstrated good calibration and discriminatory capacity in the derivation (Hosmer-Lemeshow chi-square = 2.633; p = 0.268, and receiver-operator characteristic [ROC] area = 0.778) and validation (Hosmer-Lemeshow chi-square = 5.333; p = 0.070, and ROC area = 0.720) subset. In the validation cohort, the PROGRESS CTO and J-CTO scores performed similarly in predicting technical success (ROC area 0.720 vs. 0.746, area under the curve difference = 0.026, 95% confidence interval = -0.093 to 0.144). CONCLUSIONS: The PROGRESS CTO score is a novel useful tool for estimating technical success in CTO PCI performed using the hybrid approach.