Alcohol Septal Ablation Therapy for Patients with Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a common genetic disorder that can lead to significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in patients with dynamic left-ventricular outflow tract obstruction (HOCM). Alcohol septal ablation (ASA) was recently introduced for the treatment of HOCM. It was first reported in 1995 by Dr. Ulrich Sigwart,1 and a year later Or. William H. Spencer, Ill performed the first procedure at The Methodist Hospital. Since then, several publications around the world have confirmed the procedure's efficacy and safety, and a vast majority of patients elect to undergo ASA as an alternative to surgery. This article summarizes several aspects related to ASA ranging from case selection to its comparison with surgical myectomy.