Surgical correction of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy with combined myectomy, mobilisation and partial excision of the papillary muscles.

A modified surgical technique for correction of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) with extended myectomy together with mobilisation and partial excision of papillary muscles was performed between 1/79 and 12/92 in 58 severely symptomatic patients refractory to medical treatment. Low hospital mortality rate (1.7%) and perioperative complication rate, an equally low linear mortality 1.4% per patient year and excellent functional status (77% class I or II NYHA) of the patients at follow-up demonstrate the necessity of a comprehensive approach for correction of severely symptomatic patients with HOCM and the feasibility of our operative strategy.