Surgery and Procedures

Surgeries and procedures can be used to remove or destroy thickened areas of the heart or to maintain normal heart rhythm.

These are generally recommended if blood flow out of the heart is slowed (obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) or if you are having symptoms despite being on medications.

These therapies are best done at medical centers with experienced teams with special training in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).  

• Septal myectomy: Open-heart surgery to remove part of the thickened wall of the heart (septum) and improve blood flow. Valve repair or replacement may also be recommended.
• Alcohol septal ablation (or nonsurgical septal reduction therapy): A thin catheter is carefully threaded into the artery and alcohol is injected to kill muscle cells in the thickened part of the heart.
• Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD): A small device is placed in the chest or abdomen that help detect and control irregular heartbeats. The device uses electrical shocks to restore a normal rhythm. ICDs can prevent sudden cardiac death.
• Heart transplant may be done in rare cases for severe heart failure.

Every procedure has risks. Be sure to talk through the benefits and possible complications with your care team.