Myectomy versus alcohol septal ablation in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy

There is very little evidence comparing the safety and efficacy of alcohol septal ablation versus septal myectomy for a septal reduction in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. This study aimed to compare the immediate and long-term outcomes of these procedures.

Following propensity score matching, we retrospectively analysed outcomes in 105 patients who underwent myectomy and 105 who underwent septal ablation between 2011 and 2017 at 2 reference centres.

The mean age was 51.9 ± 14.3 and 52.2 ± 14.3 years in the myectomy and ablation groups, respectively (P = 0.855), and postoperative left ventricular outflow tract gradients were 13 (10-19) mmHg vs 16 (12-26) mmHg; P = 0.025. The 1-year prevalence of the New York Heart Association class III-IV was higher in the ablation group (none vs 6.4%; P = 0.041). The 5-year overall survival rate [96.8% (86.3-99.3) after myectomy and 93.5% (85.9-97.1) after ablation; P = 0.103] and cumulative incidence of sudden cardiac death [0% and 1.9% (0.5-7.5), respectively P = 0.797] did not differ between the groups. The cumulative reoperation rate within 5 years was lower after myectomy than after ablation [2.0% (0.5-7.6) vs 14.6% (8.6-24.1); P = 0.003]. Ablation was associated with a higher reoperation risk (subdistributional hazard ratio = 5.9; 95% confidence interval 1.3-26.3, P = 0.020). At follow-up, left ventricular outflow tract gradient [16 (11-20) vs 23 (15-59) mmHg; P < 0.001] and prevalence of 2+ mitral regurgitation (1.1% vs 10.6%; P = 0.016) were lower after myectomy than after ablation.

Both procedures improved functional capacity; however, myectomy better-resolved classes III-IV of heart failure. Septal ablation was associated with higher reoperation rates. Myectomy demonstrated benefits in gradient relief and mitral regurgitation elimination. The results suggest that decreasing rates of myectomy procedures need to be investigated and reconsidered.