Septal myectomy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Septal myectomy | |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery |
Septal myectomy is a cardiac surgery treatment for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).[1] The open-heart surgery entails removing a portion of the septum that is obstructing the flow of blood from the left ventricle to the aorta.[2]
The most common alternatives to septal myectomies are treatment with medication (usually beta or calcium blockers) or non-surgical thinning of tissue with alcohol ablation. Ordinarily, septal myectomies are performed only after attempts at treatment with medication fail. The choice between septal myectomy and alcohol ablation is a complex medical decision.[citation needed]
Septal myectomy was established by Andrew G. Morrow in the 1960s.[3]
