PREVALENCE OF CHRONIC TOTAL OCCLUSION IN A TERTIARY CARE CARDIAC CENTRE IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

Objective: To calculated the incidence of chronic total occlusion and frequency of involvement of various arteries
along with different characteristics.
Study Design: Prospective study.
Place and Duration of Study: It was a six months prospective study in the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology
and National Institute of Heart Diseases Pakistan, from Jan 2016 till Jul 2016.
Material and Methods: All the consecutive patients who underwent coronary angiography in the Armed forces
institute of cardiology/National institute of heart diseases were reviewed for the presence of cto along with its
arterial involvement and the type of lesion. Age, gender, presence or absence of co-morbid such as diabetes
mellitus, hypertension and smoking were documented.
Results: Twenty percent of the total coronary angiograms conducted were found to have chronic total occlusions
involving mostly the left anterior descending (LAD) followed by the right coronary artery (RCA) and left
circumflex (LCX). With most of them having tapering ends and bridging collaterals. Our study will point out the
disease burden of CTO and will work as a pilot to plan the future management strategy of CTO in our region.
Conclusion: Our study will help in the guidance of future management strategies for CTO in this region. Our
study will also point out the disease burden of CTO and emphasize that percutaneous management of CTO PCI
should be the next target of all the leading tertiary care cardiac centers in this region16.