Chronic Total Occlusion Therapy

Coronary Intervention for Heart Blockages

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) interventional cardiologists provide the latest in minimally invasive treatments for blocked arteries.

Understanding Artery Blockages

Like any muscle in your body, your heart requires sufficient blood flow to have the oxygen and nutrients it needs to function. Blockages can develop in any of your three major heart arteries (coronary arteries). Blockages are usually due to a build-up of fat and calcium (atherosclerosis) that narrows the arteries. This condition is the leading killer of both men and women in developed countries. 

When blockages occur suddenly, they can lead to heart attacks. If they occur more gradually over time, they can cause chest discomfort. 

Chronic Total Occlusion (CTO)

About 15% of people with coronary artery blockages have an artery that is completely blocked. These blockages have usually been present for months to years and are known as chronic total occlusions (CTO). 

CTO Treatment 

In recent years, advances in interventional cardiology have resulted in new, minimally invasive treatments to open complex coronary blockages, including CTOs. A small number of interventional cardiologists — only about 1% of those practicing in the U.S. — have the skills to perform these procedures. 

Among these few are members of a team of interventional cardiologists at the CardioVascular Institute at BIDMC. Our team specializes in evaluating your condition and in using sophisticated new procedures to open your complex blockages.  

We offer these and other specialized treatments: 

• Angioplasty
• Stent placement (using a surgical tube to open up blocked artery) 
• Other interventional heart treatments

You may need to spend time in the hospital after your treatment for CTO. Plan your stay at BIDMC. 

A Track Record of Success

Our team of advanced interventional cardiologists is especially skilled at treating CTO and has a long track record of success. They are in the top 1% of interventional cardiologists in the United States and their access to BIDMC’s specialized care setting enables them to deliver an 80-90% PCI for CTO success rate.