Skip to Content
800-533-8762
  • Careers
  • Newsroom
  • Health Care Professionals
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
UPMC
  • Find a Doctor
  • Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
      Allergy & Immunology Behavioral & Mental Health Cancer Ear, Nose & Throat Endocrinology Gastroenterology Heart & Vascular Imaging Neurosciences Orthopaedics
      Physical Rehabilitation Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Primary Care Senior Services Sports Medicine Telemedicine Transplant Surgery Walk-In Care Weight Management Women’s Health
      See all Services
    • Services by Region
    • Find a UPMC health care facility close to you quickly by browsing by region.
      UPMC in Western Pa. Western Pa. and New York
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Services
  • Locations
    • Locations by Type
    • Locations by Type
      UPMC hospitals
      Hospitals
      Physical Therapy
      Physical Therapy
      Urgent care
      Walk-In Care
      UPMC Outpatient Centers
      Outpatient Centers
      UPMC Imaging Services
      Imaging
      Community Health Centers
      Community Health Centers
      See All Locations
    • Locations by Region
    • Locations by Region
      UPMC in Southwest Pa. Southwest Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Northwest Pa and Ny. Northwest Pa. & Western N.Y.
      UPMC in West Central Pa. West Central Pa.
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Locations
  • Patients & Visitors
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
      Patients and Visitors Resources Pay a Bill Classes & Events Medical Records Health Library Patient Information
      Patient Portals Privacy Information Shared Decision Making Traveling Patients Visitor Information
      Man uses mobile phone
      Pay a Bill
      Nurse reviews medical chart
      Request Medical Records
  • Patient Portals
  • Find Covid-19 updates
  • Schedule an appointment
  • Request medical records
  • Pay a bill
  • Learn about financial assistance
  • Find classes & events
  • Send a patient an eCard
  • Make a donation
  • Volunteer
  • Read HealthBeat blog
  • Explore UPMC Careers
Skip to Content
UPMC
  • Patient Portals
  • For Patients & Visitors
    • Find a Doctor
    • Locations
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Pay a Bill
    • Services
    • More
      • Medical Records
      • Financial Assistance
      • Classes & Events
      • HealthBeat Blog
      • Health Library
  • About UPMC
    • Why UPMC
    • Facts & Stats
    • Supply Chain Management
    • Community Commitment
    • More
      • Financials
      • Support UPMC
      • UPMC Apps
      • UPMC Enterprises
      • UPMC International
  • For Health Care Professionals
    • Physician Information
    • Resources
    • Education & Training
    • Departments
    • Credentialing
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Newsroom
  • UPMC >
  • Our Services >
  • Heart & Vascular >
  • ... >
  • Our Services >
  • Procedures >
  • Septal Myectomy
Heart & Vascular
About Us
Conditions We Treat
Our Services
Artificial Heart & Ventricular Device (VAD)
Atrial Fibrillation (AFIB)
Cardiac Amyloidosis
Cardiac Rehabilitation
Cardio-Oncology
Cardiogenic Shock
Cardiology
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Coronary Artery Disease
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)
Heart Failure
Heart Rhythm Disorders
Heart Surgery
Heart Valve Disease
Hypertension
Inherited Heart Disease
Interventional Cardiology
Limb Preservation
Pediatric Cardiology
Preventive Cardiology
Sports & Exercise Cardiology
Structural Heart
Telemedicine
Thoracic Aortic Disease
Vascular Surgery
Vein
Women’s Heart
Wound Healing
Procedures
AFib Ablation
Ablation for Varicose and Spider Veins
Angioplasty (Percutaneous Coronary Intervention)
Aortic Root Surgery
Aortic Valve Surgery
Arterial Bypass Surgery
Cardiac (Heart) Catheterization
Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices
Carotid Artery Angioplasty and Stenting (CAS)
Carotid Endarterectomy
Catheter Ablation
Compression Therapy
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Surgery
Electrical Cardioversion
Emergent Aortic Dissection Repair
Endarterectomy Surgery
Heart Valve Surgery
Holter Monitor (24-Hour Electrocardiogram Monitoring)
Hybrid Ablation
Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) Insertion
iSVR: Intercostal Surgical Valve Replacement
Left Atrial Appendage Ligation (LAL)
Pacemaker and Defibrillator Lead Extraction
MAZE Procedure for AFib
Microphlebectomy
MitraClip® Therapy
Mitral Valve Surgery
Open Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair
Ozaki Procedure for Aortic Valve Replacement
Pacemakers
Percutaneous Atherectomy
Peripheral Angioplasty and Stenting
Peripheral Vascular Ablation
Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) Closure
Popliteal Aneurysm Repair
Pulsed Field Ablation
Renal Artery Stenting
Sclerotherapy
Septal Defect Repair
Septal Myectomy
Sternotomy Approach for Aortic Aneurysm Repair
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Procedure
Thoracic Endovascular Repair for Aortic Aneurysms (TEVAR)
Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE)
Tricuspid Valve Surgery
Venous Bypass Surgery
Venous Stents
Watchman Device™ for Atrial Fibrillation
Tests
For Patients
For Professionals & Students
Our Locations
Contact Us
Heart & Vascular
About Us
Conditions We Treat
Our Services
Artificial Heart & Ventricular Device (VAD)
Atrial Fibrillation (AFIB)
Cardiac Amyloidosis
Cardiac Rehabilitation
Cardio-Oncology
Cardiogenic Shock
Cardiology
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Coronary Artery Disease
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)
Heart Failure
Heart Rhythm Disorders
Heart Surgery
Heart Valve Disease
Hypertension
Inherited Heart Disease
Interventional Cardiology
Limb Preservation
Pediatric Cardiology
Preventive Cardiology
Sports & Exercise Cardiology
Structural Heart
Telemedicine
Thoracic Aortic Disease
Vascular Surgery
Vein
Women’s Heart
Wound Healing
Procedures
AFib Ablation
Ablation for Varicose and Spider Veins
Angioplasty (Percutaneous Coronary Intervention)
Aortic Root Surgery
Aortic Valve Surgery
Arterial Bypass Surgery
Cardiac (Heart) Catheterization
Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices
Carotid Artery Angioplasty and Stenting (CAS)
Carotid Endarterectomy
Catheter Ablation
Compression Therapy
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Surgery
Electrical Cardioversion
Emergent Aortic Dissection Repair
Endarterectomy Surgery
Heart Valve Surgery
Holter Monitor (24-Hour Electrocardiogram Monitoring)
Hybrid Ablation
Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) Insertion
iSVR: Intercostal Surgical Valve Replacement
Left Atrial Appendage Ligation (LAL)
Pacemaker and Defibrillator Lead Extraction
MAZE Procedure for AFib
Microphlebectomy
MitraClip® Therapy
Mitral Valve Surgery
Open Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair
Ozaki Procedure for Aortic Valve Replacement
Pacemakers
Percutaneous Atherectomy
Peripheral Angioplasty and Stenting
Peripheral Vascular Ablation
Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) Closure
Popliteal Aneurysm Repair
Pulsed Field Ablation
Renal Artery Stenting
Sclerotherapy
Septal Defect Repair
Septal Myectomy
Sternotomy Approach for Aortic Aneurysm Repair
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Procedure
Thoracic Endovascular Repair for Aortic Aneurysms (TEVAR)
Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE)
Tricuspid Valve Surgery
Venous Bypass Surgery
Venous Stents
Watchman Device™ for Atrial Fibrillation
Tests
For Patients
For Professionals & Students
Our Locations
Contact Us

Chat Keywords List

  • cancel or exit: Stops your conversation
  • start over: Restarts your current scenario
  • help: Shows what this bot can do
  • terms: Shows terms of use and privacy statement
  • feedback: Give us feedback
Continue
Chat with UPMC
RESTART
MENU
CLOSE

Septal Myectomy Surgery

Septal myectomy is an open heart surgery used to treat obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HOCM), a condition that causes the muscle fibers of the heart to thicken, affecting the heart’s ability to pump blood.

This surgery helps improve blood flow by removing a portion of the thickened heart muscle. Septal myectomy is the preferred treatment option for people who have severe symptoms despite optimal medical therapy. Symptoms can include fatigue, breathing problems, chest pain, and irregular heart rhythms.

Contact the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute

To request an appointment, contact the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute:

  • Call: 1-855-876-2484
  • Email: HeartandVascular@upmc.edu

What Is Septal Myectomy?

Septal myectomy is a surgical procedure to treat obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

HOCM is a disease that affects your heart muscle, specifically how it pumps blood. HOCM makes the muscle wall between your left and right ventricle thicken.

Your left ventricle’s job is to pump blood to the rest of the body. But when the wall, or septum, gets too thick, it gets in the way of that blood flow. Doctors call this obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

The goal of a septal myectomy surgery is to remove that obstruction. The heart surgeon thins out the thickened septum by removing some of the muscle.

Septal myectomy requires general anesthesia and cardiopulmonary bypass. You’ll spend three to five days in the hospital to recover after surgery.

Conditions We Treat with Septal Myectomy

Septal myectomy surgery is used to treat obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HOCM).

HOCM is the most common type of inherited heart disease in the U.S., affecting about 1 in 500 adults.

Why Would I Need Septal Myectomy Surgery?

HOCM can affect each person differently. This is why our team will create a personalized treatment plan for you.

Your doctors may suggest septal myectomy to treat HOCM if lifestyle changes and medications don’t work.

You may be a candidate for septal myectomy if you:

  • Have significant thickening of your left ventricle.
  • Have severely obstructed blood flow.
  • Are healthy enough for heart surgery.

People with HOCM who want to get pregnant may also need this surgery.

Alternatives to septal myectomy

Your doctor may talk to you about alcohol septal ablation (ASA) as an alternative to septal myectomy if your risk for surgery is too high.

ASA is less invasive than septal myectomy. Instead, this technique is done through cardiac catheterization.

First, doctors insert a catheter, or small tube, into an artery near your groin. They then thread the catheter through the artery up to your heart.

The doctor then injects alcohol, which is toxic to the heart muscle cells. The alcohol solution kills enough of the cells to thin the heart wall.

While surgical myectomy is the preferred method to remove the thickened heart muscle, ASA is an alternative for people who are too high-risk for surgery.

Research shows that in centers that offer both ASA and myectomy, younger people who have severe symptoms get better relief with myectomy. ASA also has a higher risk of arrhythmia.

Septal Myectomy Risks

As with any open heart surgery, septal myectomy poses risks.

Since the procedure can interfere with your heart’s electrical system, there’s a small chance you may need a pacemaker.

Some people also experience atrial fibrillation after surgery.

If you’re older than 65, have other heart issues, or you smoke, your risks for complications are greater.

Septal Myectomy: What Should I Expect?

Before your septal myectomy surgery

Your doctor will explain the surgery and discuss the risks with you. You’ll undergo a series of tests to make sure you’re a good candidate.

Your doctor may order:

  • Blood tests.
  • Cardiac MRI, to see how your heart chambers and valves are working.
  • Echocardiogram, to see the structures of your heart.
  • EKG or other electrophysiology studies, to see your heart’s electrical system.
  • Cardiac catheterization or coronary CTA to look for blockages in the coronary arteries, which are the blood vessels that feed your heart.

During your septal myectomy surgery

You will receive general anesthesia for this surgery. You will be completely asleep with a breathing tube.

Septal myectomy is an open heart surgery. The surgeon will make an incision in the middle of your chest to access your heart. This is called a sternotomy.

Next, the surgeon connects you to a heart-lung machine and stops your heart. This is called cardiopulmonary bypass. This machine keeps your heart and lungs working while your heart is stopped.

Then, the surgeon removes a small part of the thickened muscle of the septal wall. They’ll gauge how much to remove based on how thick it is.

When surgery is complete, the surgeon will allow your heart to start beating again and remove you from the heart-lung machine. The surgeon will then close the incision.

Typically, the surgery takes three to four hours.

Recovery after septal myectomy surgery

After septal myectomy surgery, your doctor will provide instructions for post-op care.

Most people will spend between three and five days in the hospital after a septal myectomy.

You’ll be sore around your incision for a couple of weeks. Your doctor will prescribe medicine to help with pain and prevent infection. Your team will go over how to care for your incision and any activity limits. Recovery from a sternotomy is generally four to six weeks. For the first four weeks, you will not be permitted to drive or lift more than 10 pounds.

Once your doctor clears you, you can attend cardiac rehab. This supervised exercise program can help you get your strength back. You’ll work one-on-one with a rehab specialist to create a program that works for you.

Why Choose UPMC for Your Septal Myectomy Surgery?

When you choose the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute, you’ll receive high-quality, comprehensive care from a top-rated, high-volume center.

Here, you have access to:

  • Renowned heart surgeons. We have the largest and most complete heart surgery program in Pennsylvania. Our surgeons are national and global experts.
  • UPMC Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center. We have a center dedicated to treating HOCM. You can receive all of your care in one place.
  • Cardiovascular Genetics Center. HCM is the most common genetic heart disease. We provide genetic counseling and testing for you and your family members.
UPMC
200 Lothrop Street Pittsburgh, PA 15213

412-647-8762 800-533-8762

Patients And Visitors
  • Find a Doctor
  • Locations
  • Pay a Bill
  • Patient & Visitor Resources
  • Disabilities Resource Center
  • Services
  • Medical Records
  • No Surprises Act
  • Price Transparency
  • Financial Assistance
  • Classes & Events
  • Health Library
Health Care Professionals
  • Physician Information
  • Resources
  • Education & Training
  • Departments
  • Credentialing
Newsroom
  • Newsroom Home
  • Inside Life Changing Medicine Blog
  • News Releases
About
  • Why UPMC
  • Facts & Stats
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Community Commitment
  • Financials
  • Supporting UPMC
  • HealthBeat Blog
  • UPMC Apps
  • UPMC Enterprises
  • UPMC Health Plan
  • UPMC International
  • Nondiscrimination Policy
Life changing is...
Follow UPMC
  • Contact Us
  • Website/Email Terms of Use
  • Medical Advice Disclaimer
  • Privacy Information
  • Active Privacy Alerts
  • Sitemap
© 2025 UPMC I Affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences Supplemental content provided by Healthwise, Incorporated. To learn more, visit healthwise.org
Find Care
Providers
Video Visit
Portal Login