Patients' Long-Term Survival of Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a relatively common autosomal dominant genetic heart disease which may produce lifestyle limiting symptoms or even death. Medication can sometimes be of benefit, but surgical intervention with septal myectomy has been an alternative intervention. The experience with this surgery at NIH provides a unique opportunity to evaluate the long-term success of this operation.Dr. Andrew G. Morrow was the originator of this operation and performed over 200 septal myectomies at NIH starting in 1960. Reviewing the results of his experience will provide important information regarding the benefits of this intervention in these patients.