ABSTRACT
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a genetic condition with an incidence of 1 in 500 characterized by excessive left ventricular hypertrophy and associated systolic anterior motion (SAM) of the mitral valve. Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) occurs when hypertrophy of the septum and SAM lead to an elevated pressure gradient across the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT). This causes heart failure symptoms of varying severity. The goal of surgery is to eliminate the elevated pressure gradient, and thus the symptoms, by resecting a portion of the hypertrophied septum.
