Role of collateral circulation in maintaining and restoring the left ventricular function and modern methods for its assessment

Abstract

The coronary blood flow plays an important role in protecting the myocardium from ischemia and maintaining the cardiomyocyte function in the event of occlusion of one of the epicardial arteries. It also has a potential for restoring the contractile function during subsequent myocardial revascularization, which requires its more detailed research. Most methods for assessing coronary collaterals are carried out to define the potential of their use for Retrograde chronic total occlusion recanalization. Currently, the most widely used method for assessing collateral blood flow is angiography, which, despite its relative simplicity and good knowledge, has following limitations: invasiveness, operator dependence, limited visualization, etc. At the same time, a number of other diagnostic methods can also be used to assess collateral flow. This review article is aimed at a detailed study of modern invasive and non-invasive methods for assessing the development and function of collateral vessels.