We read with interest the study by Shaikh et al reporting that none of the patients with coronary chronic total occlusions (CTOs) and a prior Q-wave myocardial infarction (MI) in the CTO-supplied territory had viable myocardium even in the presence of good collateral circulation. Based on our large, multicenter registry on CTO in percutaneous coronary intervention, PROGRESS-CTO, we believe viability testing may still be of value in patients with a CTO and a prior MI, especially if their ejection fraction is low and dyspnea is the predominant symptom.
Keywords: chronic total occlusion; clinical outcomes.