Transaortic extended left ventricular septal myectomy in an adult with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy

In symptomatic patients with an obstructive variant of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and no response to maximal medical therapy, we recommend a septal myectomy. It is considered the gold standard for treatment of the basal variant of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. It has several advantages over alcohol septal ablation, such as the immediate relief of the obstruction and the ability to reduce the septal thickness significantly, to eliminate the potential for midventricular obstruction, and to rule out any other etiologies of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, which include the presence of abnormalities in the mitral valve subvalvular apparatus such as the presence of anomalous chords, which occured in the current case, and anomalous papillary muscles. In experienced hands, the technique is safe and is associated with excellent outcomes with improved quality of life and potential for survival benefit.