Occlusion of left main coronary artery during percutaneous coronary intervention for chronic total occlusion of left circumflex artery with retrograde approach

Abstract

The retrograde approach, a new technique of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for chronic total occlusion (CTO), allows coronary interventionalists to improve the success rate. However, this technique occasionally has serious complications. We report a case with the occlusion of left main coronary artery (LMCA) during PCI for CTO in the proximal LCX with retrograde approach because of backward spiral dissection formed by retrograde wire. We could perform bail-out stenting for LMCA. In PCI for CTO in the proximal site of left coronary artery with retrograde approach, we should keep in mind a backward dissection to LMCA formed by retrograde wire.