Chronic Total Occlusion (CTO): Scientific Benefit and Principal Interventional Approach

Abstract

Chronic total occlusion (CTO) of coronary arteries are found in about 20% of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and in about 50% of post-CABG patients. Specialized centers can now achieve success rates of over 85%, which is a result of technical advancements in retrograde techniques irrespective of the CTO anatomy. Due to the complexity of retrograde CTO-techniques, a consensus paper issued by the EuroCTO-Club requires interventional cardiologists to have sufficient experience in antegrade approaches (>300 antegrade CTO-cases, 50/year) with additional retrograde training (25 retrograde cases each as first and second operator) before becoming an independent retrograde operator. The increased investment in time and technical resources may only be justified if the patient has a clear clinical benefit. However, technical advancements and the clearer evidence that complete revascularization can be achieved in patients with coronary multivessel disease have attracted growing interest in recent years from interventional cardiologists in treating CTO. The chapter will review current knowledge in the interventional treatment of CTO and focuses on indications and the potential benefits for the individual patient being based on the current state of scientific evidence.