title: Mother-and-child catheter-facilitated optical coherence tomography: A novel approach to improve intracoronary imaging.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our aim was to prospectively analyze the usefulness of mother-and-child catheter approach with the GuideLiner® (GL) catheter extension system to overcome some potential limitations associated with the use of optical coherence tomography (OCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  We included consecutive patients referred to our institution for coronary angiogram in whom OCT image acquisition was obtained using GL. From February 2015 to May 2016, a total of 19 procedures (18 patients) were prospectively included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In more than two thirds of the procedures, the OCT catheter was unable to cross the coronary stenosis prior to the use of GL. The right coronary artery was the most frequently involved coronary vessel (63%). The main reason for using GL (47% of cases) was poor engagement of the coronary ostium and lack of support of the guiding catheter (47%). Eventually, in 18 out of 19 procedures, a good quality OCT image was obtained and, when indicated, successful percutaneous coronary intervention with stent implantation was performed. Of note, there were no serious complications related to the use of GL during OCT imaging.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Optical coherence tomography through a catheter extension system is a useful technique able to overcome some of the limitations associated with this imaging technique ensuring adequate blood clearance and thus optimal image quality.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Madrid, Spain. marcos.garcia.guimaraes@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garcia-Guimaraes
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cuesta
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rivero
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alvarado
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Navarrete
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bastante
authors.forename: Amparo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benedicto
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alfonso
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D062906:Cardiac Catheters; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D062645:Percutaneous Coronary Intervention; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000295:instrumentation*
keywords: complex percutaneous coronary intervention; image quality; optical coherence tomography; percutaneous coronary intervention