Retrograde application of the buddy wire technique

Abstract

We report the case of an 85-year-old man who presented with worsening exertional dyspnoea 18 months after coronary artery bypass surgery for critical three vessel coronary artery disease. Coronary angiography revealed an anastomotic stricture between a radial artery graft and the first diagonal branch. Percutaneous coronary intervention utilizing a retrograde application of the "buddy" wire technique was then performed.

Crossing chronic total occlusions with a new 0.014″ CiTop guidewire: Proof of concept

“…In a more recent clinical study, Suzuki et al have shown that the average radiation exposure time when treating CTO was 45 ± 24 minutes compared with a reference level of PCI procedure of 16 min [22]. In cases where anterograde approach has failed, a retrograde approach could be used [23, 24]. A wire is introduced directly into the distal vessel beyond the occlusion usually via a large collateral vessel or a bypass graft that connects with the distal vessel and then steered proximally to approach the end of the convex distal fibrous cap.…”