Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 4, 2026

Operating Transverse Aortic Constriction with Absorbable Suture to Obtain Transient Myocardial Hypertrophy
Published on: September 9, 2020
Surgical management of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: the gold standard
Morgan L Brown1, Hartzell V Schaff
1Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. brown.morgan1@mayo.edu
Insights
Septal myectomy is a safe and effective treatment for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy when medications fail. This surgical approach offers excellent survival and symptom relief, remaining the preferred method over alcohol septal ablation.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cardiac Surgery
Background:
- Obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (oHCM) is a significant cause of morbidity.
- Medical therapy is the initial treatment, but some patients require intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare surgical septal myectomy with alcohol septal ablation for oHCM.
- To evaluate the safety, efficacy, and long-term outcomes of these interventions.
Main Methods:
- Review of treatment outcomes for patients with oHCM.
- Comparison of septal myectomy and alcohol septal ablation procedures.
Main Results:
- Septal myectomy demonstrates excellent survival, symptom relief, and low morbidity.
- Alcohol septal ablation has uncertain late outcomes and a higher need for permanent pacing.
- Both procedures reduce left ventricular outflow tract gradients and improve function.
Conclusions:
- Surgical septal myectomy is considered the gold standard for treating obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
- Indications for intervention in oHCM are evolving with increased understanding.
Abstract:
While medication is the first line of therapy in obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, patients who have symptoms refractory to medical treatment or asymptomatic patients with high resting gradients (>or=30 mmHg) may require septal myectomy. Surgical septal myectomy can be performed safely, with excellent survival, relief from symptoms and low morbidity. Alcohol septal ablation is an alternative to surgical treatment, but late outcomes are uncertain. Although both methods of septal reduction relieve left ventricular outflow tract gradients and improve functional status, the need for permanent pacing appears higher with alcohol ablation compared with surgical myectomy. As our understanding of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy continues to grow, the indications for intervention will evolve. In our practice, septal myectomy remains the gold standard for treatment of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Related Concept Videos
Cardiomyopathy V: Interprofessional Care
Cardiomyopathy III: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy VII: Pre and Post Operative Nursing Management
Mitral Stenosis III: Medical Management
Cardiomyopathy II: Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy IV: Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
