Management of Subaortic Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction After Aortic Valve Replacement

Residual or new left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction after an aortic valve replacement poses special challenges with respect to operative techniques. Our study assesses this gap.

From January 1993 to May 2019, 18 patients underwent a septal myectomy at Mayo Clinic for subaortic obstruction after aortic valve replacement. We evaluated their demographics, clinical presentation, and echocardiograms, and the type of prior valve replacement, need for repeat replacement, and their short- and long-term outcomes. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

All patients underwent septal myectomy for LVOT obstruction at a median interval of 7 years (interquartile range, 3-15 years) from their prior aortic valve procedure. Preoperatively, the median left ventricular outflow tract gradient was 57 mm Hg (interquartile range, 44-77 mm Hg); 10 patients (55.5%) had systolic anterior motion (SAM) of the mitral leaflets. Repeat replacement of the aortic valve at the time of myectomy was needed in 14 patients, and septal myectomy alone was performed in 4 patients. One hospital death occurred 34 days after myectomy and aortic valve replacement, and 2 patients needed permanent pacemaker placement for complete heart block.

Septal myectomy after aortic valve replacement may be performed with repeat replacement of the valve, if there is coexisting prosthetic dysfunction, through a normally functioning bioprosthesis or through an apical approach when visualization through the aortic prosthesis is poor. The complexity of reoperation supports a liberal approach to myectomy at the time of aortic valve replacement when there is significant subaortic septal hypertrophy.