Figure 17: Side-branch Technique
As in (a) turn the wire towards the side-branch and position it near to the ostium. Getting to the side-branch will be relatively easy if using a stiff wire, but you have to be very careful, assessing the situation using contra-lateral injection, and make sure that you don’t position the wire too far down the side-branch. You then make cracks at the side-branch ostium by dilating a 1.5mm balloon (b). Once you are sure you have achieved recanalization, you switch to a softer wire and locate the main trunk (c).