Septal Ablation in a Heart with HCM

This illustration shows a nonsurgical septal ablation procedure. Using small tubes (catheters) placed into the bloodstream, the artery supplying blood to the thickest part of the septal muscle (that part responsible for causing the obstruction) is identified. A very small amount of alcohol, which is toxic to the cells it reaches, is injected into this area to cause a small, strategically located heart attack.