Does a standard myectomy exist for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy? From the Morrow variations to precision surgery

Abstract

Objectives

The purpose of this work is to revisit the history of surgical treatment for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (oHCM) over the last 60 years, in the light of advancing knowledge of the pathophysiology of obstruction.

Methods

In this narrative review the contribution of the different surgical approaches to the field will be assessed in our personal experience in Florence.

Results

Septal myectomy is the treatment of choice in patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy who remain symptomatic despite optimal medical treatment. Over the decades, numerous "theme variations" of the Morrow operation have been proposed, each of them targeting a specific pathophysiological determinant of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction.

Conclusions

Precision surgery in oHCM patients today depends on the ability of the surgeon to combine and master these variations, with the bird's eye view allowed by climbing on the shoulders of giants.