The Characteristics of Primary Retrograde Approach Selection for Native Coronary Chronic Occlusion With Short Occlusion Length from the Japanese CTO-PCI Expert Registry

Although the coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO) crossing algorithm has been published, the characteristics associated with the first strategy selection for short-length lesions <20 mm is still debatable. This study aimed to determine the characteristics associated with primary retrograde approach (PRA) for native CTO with short occlusion length in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Between January 2014 and December 2021, we examined data on 4,088 lesions in the Japanese CTO-PCI Expert Registry with occlusion lengths <20 mm. Then, the characteristics for short-length CTO, which was performed by way of the PRA, were assessed. PRA was performed in 785 patients (19.2%). The guidewire success rate was 93.6%, and the technical success rate was 91.3%. Previous coronary artery bypass grafting, chronic kidney disease, and 6 lesion/anatomic characteristics (i.e., blunt stump, distal runoff <1 mm, CTO lesion tortuosity, reattempt procedures, ostial location, and the presence of collateral channel grade 2) were associated with PRA (p <0.05). Moreover, hemodialysis was an independent factor of unsuccessful anterograde guidewire crossing, along with distal runoff <1 mm, the existence of calcification, and CTO lesion tortuosity (all p <0.05). In clinical settings, these independent factors for PRA in short-length CTO can help in selecting the CTO-PCI strategy.