title: Attempted retrograde reopening of an occluded left main stent.
abstract: Percutaneous revascularization is generally considered to be the treatment of choice for patients with recurrence of symptoms following coronary artery bypass surgery. Protected left main disease is usually approached in an antegrade way. However, if the left main coronary artery is occluded, such an approach is often very challenging, and alternative strategies are adopted. We present a case of attempted retrograde reopening of an occluded left main stent through the right coronary artery, a sequential radial graft from the right coronary artery to the marginal branch and eventually in a retrograde way to the left main coronary artery. Although this case was unsuccessful it demonstrates how technological developments are allowing interventionists to tackle a vast range of challenging cases, which only few years ago would have been considered impossible.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Cardiologia Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Policlinico A. Gemelli Largo A. Gemelli, 8 00168 Roma.
authors.forename: Giampaolo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Niccoli
authors.forename: Jonny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Adrian P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Banning
mesh_terms: D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015607:Stents; D017211:Treatment Failure