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Introduction: As the field of chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention has evolved, technical approaches have evolved and been refined. Areas covered: In this review, we discuss the major techniques utilized in modern CTO PCI including antegrade wiring, antegrade dissection reentry, retrograde wiring, and retrograde dissection reentry. Retrograde techniques have been extensively studied in comparison to antegrade techniques. Retrograde techniques have contributed to increases in CTO PCI success rates and are generally used in higher complexity lesions. Observational data ssuggestincreased sshort-termcomplications in procedures requiring the use of retrograde techniques; however, llong-termCTO PCI durability and patient outcomes have been shown to be similar among procedures using antegrade only versus retrograde techniques. Expert opinion: Retrograde techniques play a vital role in the technical success of CTO PCI, particularly among more complex lesions and in patients with high burdens of comorbidities. Increases in procedural safety with equipment iteration and in the use of adjunctive imaging will play an important role in the selection of appropriate retrograde conduits and the overall success rates of CTO PCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronary calcification is common and increases the difficulty of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We examined the impact of calcium on procedural outcomes of 13,079 CTO PCIs performed in 12,799 patients at 46 US and non-US centers between 2012 and 2023. Moderate or severe calcification was present in 46.6% of CTO lesions. Patients whose lesions were calcified were older and more likely to have had prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Calcified lesions were more complex with higher J-CTO score (3.0 ± 1.1 vs. 1.9 ± 1.2; p < 0.001) and lower technical (83.0% vs. 89.9%; p < 0.001) and procedural (81.0% vs. 89.1%; p < 0.001) success rates compared with mildly calcified or non-calcified CTO lesions. The retrograde approach was more commonly used among cases with moderate/severe calcification (40.3% vs. 23.5%; p < 0.001). Balloon angioplasty (76.6%) was the most common lesion preparation technique for calcified lesions, followed by rotational atherectomy (7.3%), laser atherectomy (3.4%) and, intravascular lithotripsy (3.4%). The incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) was higher in cases with moderate or severe calcification (3.0% vs. 1.2%; p < 0.001), as was the incidence of perforation (6.5% vs. 3.4%; p < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, the presence of moderate/severe calcification was independently associated with lower technical success (odds ratio, OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.63–0.84) and higher MACE (OR = 2.33, 95% CI: 1.66–3.27). Moderate/severe calcification was present in nearly half of CTO lesions, and was associated with higher utilization of the retrograde approach, lower technical and procedural success rates, and higher incidence of in-hospital MACE. • Moderate/severe calcification: • is present in nearly half of chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesions • requires more frequent use of the retrograde approach • requires more frequent use of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and advanced plaque modification techniques • is associated with lower technical and procedural success, and higher major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]