The outcomes and complications of percutaneous interventions in chronic total coronary occlusion.

BACKGROUND

The limited availability of complex coronary intervention facilities and qualified operators, due to the high cost associated with chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous intervention (PCI) equipment and a shortage of necessary skills, has led to a scarcity of capable medical centers in Pakistan. This study seeks to examine the outcomes and potential complications associated with CTO PCI procedures conducted at the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories of a prominent national institute in Pakistan, which handles a large volume of cases.

RESULTS

Three hundred and six patients were included in the study in the study period of six months. The mean age was 59.49 (± 9.16) years: 256 (83.66%) were male and 50 (16.34%) were female. CTO was successfully re-vascularized in 237 (77.5%) with a complication rate of 13.7%. Two hundred and ninety-eight (97.39%) patients underwent an antegrade approach, while RCA was the most common target vessel (47.71%). Diabetes was the only significant associated risk factor with CTO PCI failure (30.43% vs. 30.43%, P-value = 0.015).

CONCLUSION

We achieved an excellent procedural success rate with a low complication rate. CTO procedural failure is associated with a higher complication rate, and diabetes is among the risk factors that lead to higher procedural failure.