Use of a second buddy wire during percutaneous coronary interventions: a simple solution for some challenging situations.
The buddy wire technique, i.e. the use of a second 0.014 inch guide wire placed alongside the one employed to advance balloons and stents inside the coronary artery during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), may help in a series of procedural challenges during PCI. Indeed, by improving both the stability of the guiding catheter and the support for balloon and stent, a buddy wire use is sometimes the simplest way to accomplish a successful procedure. In this paper, we discuss technical aspects of some specific circumstances frequently encountered during PCI, in which a buddy wire may be helpful. These include: 1) The reduction of balloon slippage during angioplasty for in-stent restenosis; 2) insufficient back-up of the guiding catheter; 3) stenting of lesions located in vessels with proximal tortuosities/angulations; 4) stenting of lesions distally located in the vessel; 5) facilitation in the positioning of distal protection devices; 6) stenting of a lesion distally located from a previously implanted stent or from a coronary segment with both calcification and sharp bend; 7) PCI on coronary arteries with anomalous origin. Because of its simplicity, low cost, and availability, the use of a buddy wire should be considered when dealing with the aforementioned conditions during PCI procedures.
Burzotta
Francesco
F
Institute of Cardiology, Catholic University, Via Prati Fiscali 158, 00141, Rome, Italy. f.burzotta@eudoramail.com
Trani
Carlo
C
Mazzari
Mario Attilio
MA
Mongiardo
Rocco
R
Rebuzzi
Antonio Giuseppe
AG
Buffon
Antonino
A
Niccoli
Giampaolo
G
Biondi-Zoccai
Giuseppe
G
Romagnoli
Enrico
E
Ramazzotti
Vito
V
Schiavoni
Giovanni
G
Crea
Filippo
F
D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans