PCI in Specific Lesion Subsets

The Online Coronary Track of the EAPCI Educational Pathway is a state-of-the-art platform that covers the entire EAPCI Core Curriculum for Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions.

It brings together fundamental principles and the latest evidence in coronary artery disease (CAD) management, with a clear focus on invasive assessment, percutaneous treatment strategies, and contemporary techniques. This approach connects guideline-based knowledge with real-world interventional practice.

The programme offers a flexible and high-quality learning environment. It is designed to support interventional cardiologists in their daily practice and guide them on their path towards EAPCI Certification and clinical excellence.

Learning objectives:

After completing this eLearning course, you will be able to:

• Analyze complex coronary lesion subsets (e.g. calcified lesions, bifurcations, left main, CTO, ostial lesions) and select appropriate interventional strategies
• Apply lesion-specific PCI techniques, including debulking (RA, OA, laser) and advanced balloon technologies (including IVL)
• Differentiate between one-stent and two-stent strategies in bifurcation lesions and justify the optimal approach based on anatomy and physiology
• Evaluate procedural outcomes using angiography and intravascular imaging, and optimize stent deployment accordingly
• Manage device failure scenarios (ISR, underexpansion, malapposition, stent thrombosis) using evidence-based interventional strategies
• Integrate advanced techniques for specific subsets such as left main disease, CTO interventions, and bypass graft PCI into clinical practice
• Formulate procedural strategies tailored to complex anatomical and clinical scenarios to improve patient outcomes

Target audience:

This course is specifically designed for interventional cardiologists who aim to advance their expertise in the field of percutaneous cardiovascular interventions.

• practicing Interventional Cardiologists: Specialists seeking to refine their knowledge of state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic techniques in coronary and structural interventions.
• early-Career Interventionalists: Those in the early stages of their interventional cardiology career, aiming to build a solid foundation for advanced procedural skills.
• EAPCI Members Preparing for Certification: Physicians preparing for the annual EAPCI Certification Exam, looking to align their knowledge with the latest guidelines and standards.

Prerequisites:

Participants should have:

• a solid understanding of coronary anatomy and physiology, including coronary flow, pressure-derived indices (e.g. FFR/iFR), and myocardial perfusion principles
• knowledge of indications for PCI based on current ESC guidelines (ACS and CCS)
• basic proficiency in coronary angiography interpretation, including lesion assessment (severity, morphology, calcification, bifurcation anatomy)
• familiarity with standard PCI techniques, including guide catheter selection, wiring, balloon angioplasty, and stent implantation
• understanding of intravascular imaging (IVUS/OCT) and its role in lesion preparation and stent optimization
• experience in clinical decision-making in the cath lab, including patient selection and risk stratification

Needs assessment:

Across the global cardiology community, there is a recognized variability in access to structured training resources covering the full spectrum of coronary disease management – from diagnostic evaluation to advanced percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

The EAPCI Educational Pathway Level 1 – Coronary Track directly addresses this gap by offering a comprehensive, standardized and modular online programme that fully reflects the current EAPCI Core Curriculum for Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions and even expands it thematically.

The course is designed to guide learners through the entire continuum of coronary care, integrating:

• foundational theory (pathophysiology, epidemiology, risk assessment)
• non-invasive and invasive diagnostics (CT, functional testing, angiography, imaging, physiology)
• technical and procedural PCI skills (devices, lesion subsets, complications, complex scenarios)
• patient-specific challenges and post-PCI management

Free of charge (exclusively reserved for EAPCI members).