My kid's father home from alcohol ablation.

[Janet McClure]

My kids dad had an alcohol ablation done Friday at Duke University. His septum measured about 45 at beginning of procedure. Once they did the ablation, it reduced to half immediately. He spent one night in ICU, in regular room on Saturday and home on Sunday. It's amazing what they can do now. He told the kids he already feels so much better. It made my son, who was diagnosed in January feel so much better knowing that his dad now is doing much better. His shortness of breath is better and overall feels good! He had been having a pretty difficult time prior to having this procedure done! I was just wondering do they ever do an alcohol ablation on kids? From what I have read it is normally in people older. Their dad is 42.

Anyway, just was so impressed at how great the procedure went.

[Reenie]

I'm glad that he's doing so well. I hope that he continues to recover without incident. The reason they don't like to do alcohol ablations on younger people is in part the lack of long-term data on the patients's following the surgery. Myectomies have much more history, therefore much more documentation on how the patients are doing 5, 10, 20 years down the road. I'm sure Lisa can give you more info on this.

Reenie

[shirleymahoney]

Janet

I'm very glad your ex husband is ok and is rest better give him our best

Shirley

[Pam Alexson]

Glad to hear he is doing well. Best wishes for continued healing and strength.

Pam

[mtlieb]

Janet,

I'm so glad to hear that his ablation went well! Woo hoo! Ablation as a treatment option for HCM is still relatively new (about ten years i think) whereas the myectomy has been around for about 50 years. Most docs still opt for myectomy... not because ablations don't work or because we shouldn't support new technologies... but simply because they know myectomy works and it has a long history of success.

Please continue to keep us posted on how your children and their father are doing, and of course we're here for you any time you need advice or a place to vent your frustrations.

Jim

[Lisa Salberg]

In short it is not advised to do an ablation on a young person (defined as under 50). In a document issued by all of those who specialize in the care of those with HCM it is clearly stated that ablations are only appropriate for a small subsection of people with HOCM. As we have no long term data on the outcome of ablation it is unwise to want to produce myocardial scar on a child when we have no idea of what remodeling may occur in 20 years. Myectomy on the other hand has a long term track record and has been proven safe time and time again in children and adults.

Best wishes to the entire family,
Lisa