Anchor balloon for guide support
Using an anchor balloon for guide support can be tried when there is difficulty in passing a stent into a vessel. In this technique, a small side branch is wired and a balloon threaded over it. The balloon in side branch is kept inflated in the side branch to prevent the guide catheter from backing out while introducing a stent into the main vessel.
Anchor balloon is also useful while trying to cross a chronic total occlusion (CTO) also. In this situation there are two options: (1) to place the anchor balloon in the side branch – non co-axial (2) to place an anchor balloon co-axially in the main vessel using an over the wire (OTW) balloon. If the anchor balloon in the side branch slips back while trying to cross the CTO, use a larger balloon or an additional third wire in the side branch, jailed by the balloon inflation, to prevent the guide from backing out.