Heart Hospital - Procedures
Percutaneous Transluminal Septal Myocardial Ablation (PTSMA) for Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy (HOCM) or Idiopathic Hypertrophic Subaortic Stenosis (IHSS)

Why is the doctor performing this procedure?

A Percutaneous Transluminal Septal Myocardial Ablation (PTSMA) is done to improve the heart's ability to pump blood when the septum has become enlarged and thickened from Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy (HOCM) or Idiopathic Hypertrophic Subaortic Stenosis (IHSS). The septum is the heart muscle that separates the right and left ventricles of the heart.

The septal enlargement and thickening blocks the heart from being able to pump blood out efficiently. This will cause symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness and potentially sudden death. The symptoms are caused by increased physical activity and exercise.

What is the procedure?

PTSMA is a non-surgical procedure that may be used to treat HOCM or IHSS.

First, a cardiac catheterization is done to find the heart arteries that supply blood to the thickened area of the heart muscle. A small catheter is inserted into a groin artery and threaded up to the heart and a dye is injected to find the specific area of thickened heart muscle. Once this area is located, the doctor injects tiny amounts of alcohol through the catheter. The alcohol is toxic to cells and so destroys very small areas of heart muscle, or causes a "controlled heart attack." The thickened muscle shrinks down to a more normal size and allows more blood to flow through the heart. Follow-up will be required to determine the success of the procedure.

Where is the procedure done?

Percutaneous Transluminal Septal Myocardial Ablation is performed in the cardiovascular lab.

6/16/2008