Coronary Sinus Reducer: History, Current Applications, and Future Perspectives

The coronary sinus reducer (CSR) is a percutaneous device designed to improve coronary blood flow and alleviate symptoms of refractory angina in patients with severe coronary artery disease (CAD) who are unsuitable for revascularization therapy. CSR originated from earlier surgical techniques, such as coronary sinus ligation (CSL), and functions by narrowing the coronary sinus to enhance perfusion in ischemic myocardial territories-particularly in the subendocardial regions-while also reducing microvascular resistance and increasing capillary recruitment. CSR is currently recognized as an effective treatment for patients with chronic refractory angina, especially those deemed ineligible for revascularization according to current European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines. Moreover, emerging studies are expanding the understanding of the mechanism of action involved in CSR, demonstrating that this technique may also improve microvascular function, particularly in patients with coronary microvascular dysfunction. These trials have shown significant improvements in coronary microcirculation and reductions in angina symptoms, suggesting that CSR may have therapeutic potential beyond obstructive CAD. Thus, CSR may represent a promising treatment option for microvascular ischemia, thereby broadening its clinical applicability to patients with angina/ischemia and non-obstructive coronary arteries (ANOCA/INOCA).