Balloon Rupture and Alcohol Leakage Into the Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery During Percutaneous Septal Ablation for Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy

We present a case of rupture of the balloon during percutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation with alcohol in a patient with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. Rupture of the balloon caused reflux of alcohol into the left anterior descending artery. Angina, mild global hypokinesia of the left ventricle and advanced atrioventricular block were observed. Cardiac function recovered in a few minutes and peak creatine kinase was 526 U. Despite the restoration of sinus rhythm, there were episodes of complete atrioventricular block that made permanent pacemaker implantation necessary.