Coronary septal collaterals as an access for the retrograde approach in the percutaneous treatment of coronary chronic total occlusions.

Objectives: To investigate the feasibility and safety of the percutaneous dilatation of coronary septal collaterals and to allow its use as an access for retrograde approach to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of coronary chronic total occlusions (CTOs).

Background: Despite improvements in percutaneous techniques and materials, CTO recanalization success rate is still suboptimal. The retrograde approach allows to significantly increase this success rate.

Association of coronary plaque composition and arterial remodelling: a virtual histology analysis by intravascular ultrasound.

Background: Conflicting data have been reported about the correlation between plaque composition assessed by virtual histology (VH) and remodelling index (RI).

Aim: To evaluate, in a larger patient population, the relationship between plaque morphology obtained by VH and arterial remodelling.

Methods And Results: VH intravascular ultrasound was performed on 95 non-bifurcation native significant lesions (>75% stenosis) in 85 patients.

Coronary plaque composition of culprit/target lesions according to the clinical presentation: a virtual histology intravascular ultrasound analysis.

Aims: To evaluate the plaque composition obtained by virtual histology (VH) IVUS according to the clinical presentation and to compare those data to previously published histopathology data.

Methods And Results: VH was performed on 95 de novo significant lesions (>75% stenosis) in 85 patients [28 acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients, 30 lesions; 57 stable angina pectoris (SAP) patients, 65 lesions]. There were a higher prevalence of positive remodelling (47 vs.