Heart Tests, Procedures & Rehabilitation
Chronic Total Occlusion (CTO)
Left: an artery 100% blocked by a chronic total occlusion, with no flow past the plug. Right: after CTO PCI, a stent holds the artery open and blood flow is restored.
This is a free, plain-language patient education guide written by Rias Ali, MD, FACC, a board-certified interventional cardiologist. Every guide is grounded in current peer-reviewed evidence and major society guidelines, organized in a way patients can actually use during a visit.
Download the Chronic Total Occlusion (CTO) guide
What's inside this guide
- Plain-language explanation of chronic total occlusion (cto)
- Why it matters and what the major risks are
- Treatment options with risks, benefits, and alternatives
- Common misconceptions clarified
- Lifestyle and self-care advice
- Specific warning signs — when to call us, when to call 911
- Sources used to build the guide (peer-reviewed and society guidelines)