How to improve catheter support during CTO PCI

Abstract

Catheter support during CTO PCI begins with careful selection of the appropriate guide catheter. Careful selection ensures coaxial alignment, allowing for delivery of equipment to the lesion, adequate opacification of the coronary arteries and support during PCI. The guide catheter selected is based on the vascular access used, coronary and aortic anatomy and specific lesion characteristics. Catheter support during CTO PCI relies not only on selecting the appropriate guide catheter, but also on guide catheter size, shape (passive support), sheath length, intubation depth of catheter into the vessel (active support), geometry and surface characteristics of the catheter support point and physical characterizes of the catheter materials. In this chapter nuances of enhancing guide support for CTO PCI will be discussed.