Echocardiographic evaluation of congenital left ventricular outflow obstruction

Left ventricular outflow obstructions (LVOTO) encompass a series of stenotic lesions beginning within the anatomic left ventricular outflow tract and ending in the descending thoracic aorta, occurring alone or in series. The degree of stenosis and hemodynamic consequences may vary from mild and well tolerated to severe and functionally limiting. The majority of LVOTO (with the exception of calcific and rheumatic aortic stenosis) are congenital in etiology. Echocardiography has become an integral tool in the assessment of patients with congenital heart disease. This article is a contemporary review of the clinical features of LVOTO and the role of echocardiography in this patient population.