Determinants of percutaneous coronary intervention success in repeat chronic total occlusion procedures following an initial failed attempt

AIM: To investigate the rates and determinants of success of repeat percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) following an initial failed attempt at recanalising the chronic total occlusions (CTO) percutaneously. METHODS: In 445 consecutive first attempt CTO-PCI procedures in our institution, procedural failure occurred in 149 (33.5%). Sixty-four re-PCI procedures were performed in 58 patients (39%) all had a single CTO. Procedural and outcome data in the re-PCI population was entered into the institutional database. A retrospective analysis of clinical, angiographic and procedural data was performed. RESULTS: Procedural success was achieved in 41 (64%) procedures. Univariate analysis of clinical and angiographic characteristics showed that re-PCI success was associated with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) guidance (19.5% vs 0%, P = 0.042), while failure was associated with severe calcification (30.4% vs 9.7%, P = 0.047) and a JCTO score > 3 (56.5% vs 17.1% P = 0.003). Following multiple regression analysis the degree of lesion complexity (J-CTO score > 3), IVUS use, involvement of an experienced CTO operator and LAD CTO location were significant predictors of successful re-PCI. Overall the complication rate was low, with the only MACCE two periprocedural MI’s neither of which required intervention. CONCLUSION: Re-PCI substantially increases the overall success rate of CTO revascularization. Predictors of re-PCI success included the use of IVUS, the involvement of an experienced CTO operator in the repeat attempt and the location of the CTO.