BACKGROUND Alcohol septal ablation (ASA) is a method of treatment in obstructive hypertrophic car-diomyopathy (HOCM), but there is little data on the long-term results of ASA and the natural course after treatment. The aim of the study was to evaluate the results of ASA in HOCM in multiannual observation, and its impact on patient survival, exercise capacity, electrical complications, and chang...

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES Studies suggest that electrocardiographically gated coronary computed tomographic angiography provides a clear definition of the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT), and normal LVOT morphology may not be round, as assumed when the continuity equation is applied during echocardiography. The aims of this study were to demonstrate the morphology of the LVOT on coronary c...

BACKGROUND Various surgical strategies designed to relieve left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) and correct mitral regurgitation (MR) in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) have evolved, yet reports on the long-term outcomes of each technique are scarce. We provide an update on over 20 years' experience at our institution in the standardized surgical treatment of HOCM. ...

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to use real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) to investigate the quantitative relation between minimal left ventricular (LV) outflow tract area (A(LVOT)) and maximal LV outflow tract (LVOT) velocity in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HCM). BACKGROUND In patients with HCM, LVOT velocity should change inversely with minimal...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES About 25% of patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) remain symptomatic despite optimal medical treatment. Some may benefit from pacemaker implantation. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of pacemaker implantation on the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) gradient, the maximum thickness of the left ventricle, and functional capac...

Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) is characterized by a dynamic left ventricular outlet tract (LVOT) obstruction, which may be exacerbated by reduced preload and Valsalva. Laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (LAGB) placement is a restrictive bariatric procedure which may be complicated by recurrent vomiting and Valsalva. Pre-operative cardiac evaluation of patients scheduled for L...

Contemporary decision-making in aortic stenosis (AS) is based on clinical assessment in conjunction with echocardiographic determination of AS severity and left ventricular ejection fraction. The primary hemodynamic parameters recommended for clinical evaluation of valvular AS are AS peak jet velocity, mean transaortic gradient, and aortic valve area (AVA) by continuity equation. Each of these ...

Septal hyper-contractility is thought to be the principal cause of significant left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOT) and systolic anterior motion (SAM) of the mitral valve by making the distance between the mitral valve and papillary muscle shorter. A seven-year-old patient with severe hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy underwent direct interventricular septal myectomy/myotomy ...

BACKGROUND Some patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) develop cardiogenic shock due to left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction - there is, however, a paucity of data regarding this condition. METHODS Prevalence, associated factors and management implications of LVOT obstruction in TTC was explored, based on two-year data from two Belgian heart centres. RESULTS A total of 32...

BACKGROUND When anatomic obstacles preclude radiofrequency catheter ablation of idiopathic ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) originating from the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT), an alternative approach from the anatomically opposite side (endocardial versus epicardial or above versus below the aortic valve) may be considered (anatomic ablation). The purpose of this study was to investigate t...