The Center of excellence with Best skills & Best Technology : World renowned Cardiologist Dr. Nakamura's visit to Sakra World Hospital, Bangalore

Coronary artery chronic total occlusion (CTO) is complete or almost complete blockage of a coronary artery for 30 or more days. Coronary CTO is caused by a heavy build-up of atherosclerotic plaque within the artery.

Traditionally, most patients with CTO required coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery to clear the blockage. In the past, total blockages of the coronary artery have been difficult to clear with interventional procedures.

However, with the advent of advanced technology and innovative percutaneous techniques, interventional cardiologists are improving the outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention, making it a viable option for some patients who are experiencing symptoms related to their CTO.

Interventional cardiologists now are able to gently steer special guide wires and catheters across the blockages. New technology makes fine movement of the guide wire tip much easier to control than in the past.

In the last few years, the success rate of the combined percutaneous approach has increased from about 60 percent to 80 to 85 percent. This is in comparison to the success rate of about 98 percent for percutaneous treatment of non-total blockages. Although the percutaneous approach has potential complications, the complication rate is comparable to that of standard angioplasty (about 1 percent).

Japanese interventional cardiologists have contributed immensely to the development of techniques and devices for successful recanalisation of CTOs. One such pioneering interventional cardiologist is Dr Sunao Nakamura.

Sakra world Hospital has the unique advantage of Japanese collaboration which allows mutual exchange of knowledge between medical ,nursing and management teams of Sakra and it's sister hospitals in Japan.

On 4th May 2014  Dr Sunao Nakamura , chief of Cardiovascular Sciences and President of New Tokyo Hospital , Chibi, Japan had visited Sakra world hospital. He is known world over for his pioneering techniques and skills in the area of coronary interventions. He is also closely involved with the development of new devices which have significantly improved the success rates of re-canalization of chronic total occlusions. CTO angioplasty is considered the final frontier in interventional cardiology . Dr Nakamura had very fruitful discussions with staff of the Department of Cardiac sciences at Sakra and shared his experience. We also conducted a CME where he addressed Physicians and Cardiologists from all over Bangalore. Dr Sreekanth Shetty, Senior interventional Cardiologist at Sakra , who is an expert in complex angioplasties performed angioplasty of a Chronic Total Occlusion of a right coronary artery , which was technically very challenging . It was an honor for the Staff of Cardiac Sciences to be appreciated by Dr Nakamura over the successful conduct of the difficult procedure . We are certain that this collaborative effort of Sakra and new Tokyo Hospital will go a long way in addressing the challenges of complex coronary interventions."