Angioplasty of a bifurcation lesion guided by 3D intravascular OFDI imaging

This was a case performed at the Royal United Hospital Bath in a patient following heart attack. "Bifurcation lesions" are artery narrowings that involve a junction so that treatment sometimes necessitates stenting both limbs (like a pair of trousers). This can add complexity to the treatment and different techniques are used depending on the situation and anatomy.

This particular case was of interest because the procedure was performed (around the time of original launch) through the radial artery (wrist artery) using a new smaller diameter/ thin walled access sheath. In fact, Bath was the first hospital in the UK to use this particular piece of equipment. These Glideshealths enhance comfort for the patient and allow larger catheters to be used easily, for more complex procedures, whilst maintaining the added safety of using the radial artery (compared to the femoral artery in the leg).

The added points of interest were using 3D intravascular imaging techniques (OFDI) to guide and document the procedure. For these reasons the case caught the eye of Terumo, the company which manufacturers this equipment and they requested it be used as an educational international case report bulletin. You can read the whole thing here.