title: [Retrograde percutaneous recanalization of chronic total occlusion of the coronary arteries via epicardial coronary collateral artery in 5 patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to explore the feasibility of percutaneous recanalization by retrograde approach via epicardial collaterals.
  
  
  METHODS
  retrograde percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) via epicardial collaterals was performed in 5 patients with previously failed antegrade PCI from April 2009 to November 2009. 7 F guiding catheters were engaged in donor artery. Hydrophilic wires and microcatheters were crossed to the distal ends of chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesions via epicardial collaterals. Four retrograde wires were exchanged into stiffer wires and further crossed the CTO, eventually went into the 6 F antegrade guiding catheters and were jailed by a 2.5 mm balloon. After dilatations of retrograde balloons, the lesions were crossed by antegrade wires, and finalized by conventional PCI method. One case was recanalized with retrograde wire trapping technique and another case was recanalized by reverse CART technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the epicardial collaterals were reached from left anterior descending branch (LAD) to distal right coronary artery (RCA) via apex in 3 patients, from left circumflex branch via left atrium branch to posterior descending artery and RCA in 1 patient and from obtuse marginal artery to diagonal artery and LAD in 1 patient. CTO was successfully recanalized and stents were implanted in 4 patients and failed in 1 patient despite successful wire positioning to the distal end of CTO. There was no procedure-induced cardiovascular event in all cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  epicardial collaterals may not be used as a routine route in retrograde approach PCI due to the potential risk of myocardial rupture and pericardial tamponade. In some cases with unavailable or unsuitable septal collaterals, epicardial collaterals may be used as an alternative route for CTO recanalization.
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Department of Cardiology, Guangdong Gereral Hospital, Guangzhou 510100, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: ZHANG
authors.forename: Hong-tao
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: LIAO
authors.forename: Li-Jun
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: JIN
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: YAN
authors.forename: Tai-ming
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: DONG
authors.forename: Han-dong
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: WU
authors.forename: Hui-min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: YU
authors.forename: Ren-jie
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: CHAI
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000379:methods*; D001162:Arteriosclerosis Obliterans / Q000628:therapy*; D003097:Collateral Circulation; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome