title: Experience with a novel retrograde wiring technique for coronary chronic total occlusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We report our evaluation of a novel retrograde wiring technique known as the Rendezvous method.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Different strategies of retrograde approaches can be used to improve the success rate of recanalization of coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO). We previously introduced the Rendezvous technique as an alternative final step for a retrograde CTO procedure.
  
  
  METHODS
  From July 2007 to May 2010, 20 CTO patients were treated in two medical centers using the Rendezvous method, which is an alternative to the conventional final externalization method to complete the retrograde CTO procedure. It involves crossing of the guidewire through the CTO segment using 2 microcatheters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of the CTO sites were in the proximal right coronary artery (50.0%). Most of the lesions had mild to moderate calcification (95.0%) and revealed an abrupt stump with a side branch at the occlusion site. The lesion length of the occlusion was relatively long (median 27.6 mm; range of 7.1-87.3 mm). No adverse cardiac events occurred during hospitalization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Rendezvous method used during the retrograde approach can be performed as an alternative to the conventional "externalization method" after the guidewire and microcatheter have crossed the occluded proximal segment into the opposite guiding catheter.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Dong-A University Hospital, Busan, South Korea. kimmh@dau.ac.kr
authors.forename: Moo Hyun
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Long-Hao
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Kazuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mitsudo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000379:methods*; D054059:Coronary Occlusion / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D062645:Percutaneous Coronary Intervention / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome