Ablation and Closures

Alcohol Septal Ablation

In patients with thickened hearts that lead to an obstruction of outflow from the heart (hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy), alcohol septal ablation may be able to help. In this procedure, alcohol is injected into targeted vessels to thin the heart muscle in select locations. This leads to a relief of the obstruction and improvement in symptoms.

Perivavular Leak Closure

In rare cases after surgical valve replacement, leaks can form around the surgical valves.  If the leaks are severe, they can cause shortness of breath or low blood counts due to shearing of the blood.  In many instances, these leaks can be closed percutaneously by placing vascular plugs into the areas of leak.

Left Atrial Appendage (LAA) Closure

Left atrial appendage closure is an attractive option for patients with atrial fibrillation who want to reduce their risk of stroke but cannot tolerate long-term anticoagulation.  In this procedure, a closure device is placed via the femoral blood vessels and recovery is usually less than 24 hours.