What happens >10 years after percutaneous septal ablation for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy? Ultra long-term follow-up of 120 patients

Introduction and methods Recent registry analyses including the European multicenter registry (Euro-ASA) documented a favourable long-term outcome of septal ablation (ASA/PTSMA) competitive to surgical myectomy. There is no information about the period beyond 10 years. We therefore analyzed the outcome in 120 HOCM patients (pts., mean age @ index intervention: 62±13 years) treated with ASA who survived >10 years. Results Mean CK rise during the index intervention was 537±258 U/l (reference: <80). A DDD-pacemaker (DDD-PM) had to be implanted in 26 pts. (22%) for procedure-related AV conduction problems. A re-intervention for residual or recurrent outflow obstruction (LVOTO) had to be performed in 12 pts. (10%; re-PTSMA: 10 pts.; myectomy: 2 pts). These cases included, at their last follow-up visit 107 pts. (89%) were in functional class I or II. During follow-up (159±33 [range: 122–264] months), 12 pts. (8%) died, of these 6 (4%) from non-cardiac, and 6 (4%) from cardiovascular causes including one sudden death. Furthermore, 4 (3%) ICDs were implanted (1 for secondary, 3 for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death). The most frequent clinical problem was atrial fibrillation which occurred in 27 pts. (23%), and which was refractory to rhythm control attempts in 21 pts. (18%). Conclusions The procedure-related DDD-PM rate in this septal ablation cohort including the early learning curve more than doubled the current one. Nevertheless, during ultra long-term follow up a durable clinical improvement was observed with mortality rates around 1%/year, nearly equivalent to that of 0.8% observed in normal populations. Atrial fibrillation is a frequent problem in this elderly, formerly obstructive HCM population. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

Percutaneous Septal Ablation in Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy: From Experiment to Standard of Care

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is one of the more common hereditary cardiac conditions. According to presence or absence of outflow obstruction at rest or with provocation, a more common (about 60–70%) obstructive type of the disease (HOCM) has to be distinguished from the less common (30–40%) nonobstructive phenotype (HNCM). Symptoms include exercise limitation due to dyspnea, angina pectoris, palpitations, or dizziness; occasionally syncope or sudden cardiac death occurs. Correct diagnosis and risk stratification with respect to prophylactic ICD implantation are essential in HCM patient management. Drug therapy in symptomatic patients can be characterized as treatment of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in HNCM, while symptoms and the obstructive gradient in HOCM can be addressed with beta-blockers, disopyramide, or verapamil. After a short overview on etiology, natural history, and diagnostics in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, this paper reviews the current treatment options for HOCM with a special focus on percutaneous septal ablation. Literature data and the own series of about 600 cases are discussed, suggesting a largely comparable outcome with respect to procedural mortality, clinical efficacy, and long-term outcome.

Role of Percutaneous Septal Ablation in Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy

HCM is a relatively common genetic mediated primary cardiac disease which may cause sudden death in the young including competative athlets.PTSMA is an alternative therapeutic option for surgical septal myomectomy who are high risk for surgery and presented with severe disabling symptoms due to marked LV outflow obstruction. PTSMA is performed by injection of 1 to 4 ml of 96% to 98% ethanol into the target artery in 0.5 to 1.0 ml aliquots at 1 ml/min. Selection of patients for PTSMA includes those with severe symptoms refractory to maximum medical management associated with LV outflow gradient > 50 mm Hg and basal septal thickness > 18 mm. Successful outcome following septal ablation by LV outflow gradient often reduced to < 20 mm of Hg and improved from symptomatic standpoint. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/uhj.v8i2.16083 University Heart Journal Vol. 8, No. 2, July 2012

Marked Regression of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy after Outflow Desobliteration in HOCM

We present an HOCM patient in whom marked regression of left ventricular hypertrophy occurred within two years following outflow desobliteration by percutaneous septal ablation. Maximum wall thickness (initially documented by both echo and MRI) decreased from 34 mm to 22 mm (followup by echo only due to presence of the ICD), crossing the threshold value of 30 mm which was one of the risk markers that had triggered the primary prophylactic ICD implantation in this case prior to septal ablation.