Study Chairmen: Prof. Bernardo Cortese
Clinical Study on Drug-Coated Balloons for Chronic Total Occlusions (CTO)
This multicenter retrospective study explores the long-term outcomes of using drug-coated balloons (DCB) in the treatment of chronic total occlusions (CTO), including both de novo lesions and in-stent restenosis (ISR). Conducted across high-volume centers with expertise in DCB and CTO procedures, the study aims to address the current lack of consistent data regarding the effectiveness of DCB in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). By analyzing real-world clinical follow-up data, the research evaluates DCB as a potential stent-free alternative in complex coronary interventions. The primary focus is on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) over a 12-month period. The findings are expected to inform and advance safer, more effective strategies for coronary revascularization.
After the publication of the main results of this CTO study in JACC Interventions (July 2026), the Board decided to extend the follow up to 2 years. We are currently collecting the clinical outcome of our 1000-patient population, aiming at presenting it during 2027.
Late Breaking Clinical Science at TCT 2025

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THE STUDY SITES AND CENTERS
United Kingdom
Barts Heart Centre, Barts Health NHS Trust
PI: Dan Jones; Johanna Jones; Elliot Smith
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust
PI: Abhishek Kumar
Heartlands Hospital
PI: Sandeep Basavarajaiah; Mahmoud Khedr
France
Groupe Hospitalier La Rochelle Ré Aunis
PI: Ludovic Meunier; Laurençon Virginie
Hôpital Cochin, Paris
PI: Fabien Picard; Vincent Pham
Hôpital Privé du Confluent
PI: Erwan Bressollette; Sandrine Hervouet
Centre Hospitalier Régional et Universitaire (CHRU) de Lille
PI: Sinan Porouchani
Poland
University Hospital
PI: Stanislaw Bartus; Artur Pawlik
Medical University of Gdańsk
PI: Maksymilian Mielczarek
Israel
Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh)
PI: Ilya Litovik; Minha Sa’ar
Romania
County Emergency Clinical Hospital
PI: Leontin Lazar
Italy
IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital
PI: Gabriele Gasparini; Gianmaria Calamita; Mauro Gitto
Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital
PI: Nino Cocco;
Emanuele Farroni
Hospital Tor Vergata
PI: Daniella Benedetto
Ospedale Santa Maria delle Croci
PI: Manfredi Arioti; Graziella Pompei
Ospedale San Giovanni Bosco
PI: Salvatore Colangelo; Giacomo Boccuzzi
Ospedale Sant’Andrea
PI: Fabrizio Ugo; Marco Franzino
Spain
Hospital Universitario Juan Ramón Jiménez
PI: Antonio Gómez Menchero; Elena Izaga
Hospital del Mar, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
PI: Beatriz Vaquero Mantilla; Karen Lorena Castillo; Alicia Prieto Lobato
Portugal
Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Algarve
PI: Hugo Vinhas; Daniel Faria; Amadora Sintra; Patricia Franco
Belgium
Hôpital de Jolimont
PI: Claudiu Ungureanu; Agostino Spanò


