Myectomy or alcohol septal ablation (ASA) for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM)

What is it about?

When beta-blocker treatment for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) is insufficient, either surgical myectomy or alcohol septal ablation (ASA) is recommended. The cost and morbidity of these two treatment options is miles apart. It now appears that the cheaper and less invasive catheter treatment is as good as surgery in many but not all patients. The individual anatomic situation has to be studied in each case.

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Why is it important?

Surgery for HOCM has shown its merits for more than half a century. Alcohol septal ablation (ASA) was launched a little over 20 years ago. The results of the cheaper and less traumatic ASA seem similar to myectomy in most patients provided the have been properly selected.

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