Transcatheter recanalization of chronic total occlusion in congenital heart disease: case reports and lessons from percutaneous coronary interventions

Abstract

Background Chronic complete vascular occlusion causes significant morbidity and mortality in patients with congenital heart disease. The diversity of lesions, lack of dedicated equipment and small number of procedures performed by individual operator, continue to pose a challenge to congenital interventional cardiologists. Case Summary We report two cases of percutaneous recanalization in congenital heart disease using percutaneous coronary interventions equipment for chronic total occlusion. Discussion Careful pre-procedural planning, access site choice, use of catheter guiding systems for support, selection of penetrating guidewires and techniques used in chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary interventions, are key steps to successful outcome.