Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy is a
myocardial condition that may result in severe left ventricular outflow
obstruction which may be symptomatic. Standard treatment strategies
include medical therapy using beta blockers and Calcium Channel blockers,
avoidance of dehydration and positive inotropes. However, when medical therapy fails with severe symptoms related
to left ventricular outflow obstruction, left ventricular septal myectomy
has been proposed and used. However, this involves major surgery and
major mortality and morbidity. An alternative treatment strategy is
to perform "medical myectomy" with the instillation of absolute
ethanol in the septal arteries using a catheter based approach. This
method is being used increasingly frequently with excellent safety with
the major adverse event being complete heart block which may necessitate
placement of a pacemaker which many of these patients may possess anyway.
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