Background
We sought to determine the impact of lesion age on procedural techniques and outcomes of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
Methods
We examined the characteristics and outcomes of 394 CTO PCIs with data on lesion age, performed between 2012–2016 at 11 experienced US centers.
Results
Mean patient age was 66 ± 10 years and 85.6% of patients were men. Overall technical and procedural success were 90.1% and 87.5%, respectively. A major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) occurred in 16 patients (4.1%). Mean and median lesion ages were 43 ± 62 months and 12 months [interquartile range 3–64 months], respectively. Patients were stratified into tertiles by lesion age (3–5, 5–36.3, and >36.3 months). Older lesion age was associated with older patient age (68±8 vs. 65±10 vs. 64±11 years, p=0.009), prior coronary artery bypass grafting (62% vs. 42% vs. 30%, p<0.001) and moderate/severe calcification (75% vs. 53% vs. 59%, p=0.001). Older lesions more often required use of the retrograde approach and antegrade dissection/re-entry for successful lesion crossing. There was no difference in technical (87.8% vs. 89.6% vs. 93.0%, p=0.37) or procedural (86.3% vs. 87.4% vs 89.0%, p=0.80) success, or the incidence of MACE (3.1% vs. 3.0% vs. 6.3%, p=0.31) for older vs. younger occlusions.
Conclusions
Older CTO lesions exhibit angiographic complexity and more frequently necessitate the retrograde approach or antegrade dissection/reentry. Older CTOs can be recanalized with high technical and procedural success rates and acceptable MACE. Lesion age appears unlikely to be a significant determinant of CTO PCI success.