When antegrade microcatheter does not follow: The "facilitated tip‐in technique". Issue 4 (24th February 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Venuti, Giuseppe; D'Agosta, Guido; Tamburino, Corrado; La Manna, Alessio
• Is Part Of: Catheterization and cardiovascular interventions. Volume 96:Issue 4(2020)
• Page Start: E458
• Page End: E461
• Publication Date: 2020-02-24
• Subjects: complex PCI -- CTO -- externalization; Heart -- Diseases -- Diagnosis -- Periodicals; Cardiac catheterization -- Periodicals; 616.1207572
• DOI: 10.1002/ccd.28803
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1522-1946

Abstract

Abstract: The introduction of retrograde techniques in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of chronic total occlusion (CTO) has significantly improved the success rates. After crossing the CTO lesion in the retrograde approach, wire externalization is a pivotal step to complete the PCI. Many techniques have been described to accomplish externalization in different scenarios of increasing difficulty. We describe the novel "facilitated tip‐in technique" which involves the insertion of the back end of an extra‐guidewire into and through the antegrade microcatheter (MC) in order to increase antegrade support and overcome demanding CTO cases where, even after successful tip‐in technique, the antegrade MC does not cross the CTO segment.