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Background: Chronic total occlusion (CTO) remains a challenge in interventional cardiology. We investi-gated the feasibility and reliability of copper wire stents and levo-polylactic acid (L-PLA) as a means of CTO induction in a porcine model. Methods and results: In one group of 20 swine, copper stents were crimped on a 3.0 mm angioplasty balloon and inserted into the mid-left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). In the other group of 20 swine, L-PLA was wrapped on a guidewire and pushed into the distal LAD with a 3.0 mm bal-loon catheter to induce embolization. Of 20 swine which underwent copper stent implantation, 13 died of stent thrombosis. In the remaining 7 swine, total or near total occlusion with collateral circu-lation was observed at 5 weeks. Of 20 swine which underwent L-PLA embolization, 4 died of ventricular fibrillation during or shortly after the procedure. Serial histopathologic studies showed complete absorp-tion of the polymer with replacement by fibrotic tissue approximately 4 weeks following the polymer implantation. Conclusions: CTO could be reliably induced in porcine coronary arteries by copper stents and L-PLA. These models may support investigation of new percutaneous devices to facilitate CTO interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]