The Role of Alcohol Septal Ablation in the Treatment of HOCM

Data from two studies delineate risk factors for mortality after ablation and suggest that clinical outcomes are comparable to those of surgical myectomy.

Since alcohol septal ablation was first performed in 1995, its use for the treatment of symptomatic hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) has grown steadily. Most reported outcomes of this technique have come from single-center studies with limited follow-up durations. Two new studies provide more information.

Nagueh and colleagues studied data from a North American, nine-center registry on 874 patients who underwent alcohol septal ablation for symptomatic, drug-refractory HOCM (mean age, 55; 50% men; New York Heart Association [NYHA] class III or IV, 78%; mean resting gradient, 70 mm Hg). A single septal perforator artery was ablated in 78% of patients, mean volume of ethanol injected was 2.9 cc, mean peak creatine kinase was 1188 …

Reviewing Author

Howard C. Herrmann, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardAffluent Medical; Artedrone; Caranx; Johnson & Johnson; Medtronic; Prolifagen; Wells Fargo

EquityMicrointerventional Devices, Inc.

RoyaltiesUniversity of Pennsylvania

Grant/Research SupportAbbott Vascular; Edwards Lifesciences; Johnson & Johnson; Medtronic

Editorial BoardsCatheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions; Journal of the American College of Cardiology; Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions; JACC Cardiovascular Interventions; JACC Case Reports; JSCAI