Septal myectomy surgery is performed to remove part of an enlarged heart muscle called the septal muscle. This surgery is typically performed if medications are not working or are not an option to treat hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart muscle in the left ventricle.
How Septal Myectomy Surgery Is Performed
Septal myectomy surgery is performed as an open-heart surgery. Before performing the repair the surgeon will connect the heart to a cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), a heart-lung machine, which assumes the function of the heart and lungs. To keep the heart still, the heart is stopped or "arrested" so the surgeon can perform the precise surgery on the heart without it beating. The heart-lung machine allows blood to continue to circulate in the body while the surgery is completed.
During septal myectomy surgery, a cardiothoracic surgeon removes a small piece of the septal heart tissue. This widens the obstructed left ventricle chamber to allow blood to flow to the aorta.
Cardiac Rehabilitation
Following the surgery, cardiac rehabilitation is provided in stages, to help reduce the risk of future heart problems and to make the recovery process quick.