In the Injury Theory, it's damage to the arterial endothelium, followed by platelet activation, then smooth muscle cell migration to injury, then macrophages, with resulting "foam cells." Engorged foam cells burst, starting the injury cycle all over again
Our patient exemplified the challenges involved in a CTO, which included the length of the lesion, the lack of a proximal nipple, the presence of a side branch at the occlusion point, poor visualization of the distal vessel despite contralateral injection