title: A novel buddy balloon technique to recross a T-stented bifurcation.
abstract: The T technique is not uncommonly used to stent bifurcation lesions. It requires recrossing into the side branch with a guidewire and balloon to perform final Kissing Balloon dilations, but recrossing can be difficult. We describe a case of bifurcation stenting where balloon recrossing following guidewire placement into the side branch proved very challenging, and was finally achieved via a combination of forward pressure on a low-profile balloon with its tip wedged at the stent struts along with simultaneous low-pressure inflation of a larger parallel balloon. This altered the stent architecture and also allowed for a more favorable vector of force transmission to allow recrossing and hence successful completion of the procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Gosford Hospital, Gosford, New South Wales, Australia. gunalingam@bigpond.com
authors.forename: Brendan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gunalingam
authors.forename: Richard Y J
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011312:Pressure; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome