Anchoring technique to improve guiding catheter support in coronary angioplasty of chronic total occlusions.

The primary reason for unsuccessful angioplasty of chronic total occlusions (CTOs) is an inability to pass the guidewire through the occlusion. Optimal guiding catheter support is a prerequisite for successful angioplasty of CTO. We performed guidewire manipulation by anchoring a balloon in a side-branch vessel in order to achieve adequate guiding catheter support. With this novel anchoring technique, we successfully achieved guidewire passage through the CTO. Copyright (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.