Outcomes of Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Intervention of the Left Anterior Descending Artery

The left anterior descending artery (LAD) subtends a large myocardial territory. The outcomes of LAD chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have received limited study. We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent LAD CTO PCI at a high-volume single center. Outcomes included in-hospital and long-term major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and changes in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). We performed a subgroup analysis of patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, defined as an LVEF of 40% or less. From December 2014 to February 2021, 237 patients underwent LAD CTO PCI. The technical success rate was 97.4%, and the in-hospital MACE rate was 5.4%, A landmark analysis after hospital discharge showed an overall survival of 92% and 85% MACE-free survival at 2 years. There was no difference in overall survival or MACE-free survival between those who had ischemic cardiomyopathy versus those who did not. In patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, LAD CTO PCI was associated with significant improvement in LVEF (10.9% at 9 months), which was further pronounced when these patients had a proximal LAD CTO and were on optimal medical therapy (14% at 6 months). In a single high-volume center, LAD CTO PCI was associated with 92% overall survival at 2 years, with no difference in survival between patients with or without ischemic cardiomyopathy. LAD CTO PCI was associated with an absolute 10% increase in LVEF at 9 months in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy.