Muscular subaortic stenosis. Clinical and pathologic observations in an elderly patient

Frequency and significance of mitral anular calcium in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: analysis of 200 necropsy patients

To determine the frequency and significance of mitral anular calcium (MAC) in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC), 43 clinical and morphologic variables in 200 necropsy cases of HC were examined. Of 100 patients less than 40 years of age, none had MAC. Of the 100 necropsy patients greater than 40 years, 30 (30%) had MAC, 21 (70%) of whom were women. The mean age of the 30 MAC patients was older than that of the 70 non-MAC patients greater than 40 years of age (66 years vs 53 years). The frequency of MAC increased with age. MAC was present in 3 of 31 patients (10%) aged 41 to 50 years; in 6 of 34 patients (18%) aged 51 to 60 years; in 11 of 21 patients (52%) aged 61 to 70 years; and in 10 of 14 patients (71%) aged 71 to 90 years. Compared with the 70 patients greater than 40 years of age without MAC, the 30 patients greater than 40 years of age with MAC had higher average systemic arterial peak systolic pressure (133 mm Hg vs 113 mm Hg); a larger percentage of the MAC patients had calcific deposits in the epicardial coronary arteries (93% vs 41%) and in the aortic valve cusps (33% vs 6%); and a larger percentage of the MAC patients had severe narrowing by atherosclerotic plaques of 1 or more of the 4 major epicardial coronary arteries (47% vs 24%). The frequency of a history of systemic hypertension, diabetes mellitus and total serum cholesterol levels greater than 200 mg/dl in the patients with and without MAC was similar.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Left ventricular myotomy. Physiologic approach to surgical therapy for IHSS

Twenty patients were operated on for idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis (IHSS) between 1966 and 1980. All were in New York Heart Association functional class 3 or 4, and 17 had overt congestive failure. The mean resting gradient across the left ventricular (LV) outflow tract preoperatively was 78 mm Hg. Seventeen patients underwent transaortic LV myotomy, one had mitral valve replacement (MVR), and two patients with rheumatic mitral insufficiency (MI) and IHSS underwent myotomy and MVR. There was one operative death (5 percent). Mean follow-up was 5.8 years. Eighteen of 19 survivors were improved to class 1 or 2. One patient whose gradient and symptoms were not relieved by myotomy was improved by myectomy and MVR. The MI was abolished or reduced by myotomy in ten of 13 patients. There were six late deaths, five of which are known or assumed to be cardiac related. We concluded that LV myotomy is a safe and effective technique for surgical management of IHSS. Left ventricular myectomy, MVR, or both are indicated in selected cases.

Results of operation for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in the elderly. Septal myotomy and myectomy in 20 patients 65 years of age or older

The results of operative treatment in 20 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy 65 years of age or older are described. All 20 patients were severely symptomatic before operation. Seventeen of the 20 patients had marked left ventricular outflow tract obstruction under basal conditions (average pressure gradient 107 mm Hg); the other three patients had outflow gradients of more than 50 mm Hg only with provocation. One patient died at operation, and one died 4 years after operation of circumstances unrelated to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Sixteen of the 18 long-term survivors have had persistent and significant functional improvement for up to 6 years after operation, including 7 patients who are now asymptomatic. Two patients experienced symptomatic deterioration after manifesting initial symptomatic improvement for 3 and 4 years, respectively, after operation. Operation resulted in a marked decrease or abolition of the left ventricular outflow gradient in each of the 17 patients studied with postoperative cardiac catheterization. These data show that gratifying symptomatic and hemodynamic improvement may be obtained by septal myotomy and myectomy in the elderly patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Accordingly, advanced age in itself is not a contraindication to operative intervention in such patients.

Unsuspected hypertrophic subaortic stenosis in the elderly diagnosed by echocardiography

Idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis (IHSS) occurs more commonly in the elderly than is generally believed, and is often unsuspected. In 26 patients above the age of 60, the diagnosis was recognized in only 7 (27 percent) prior to echocardiography. Symptoms included dyspnea in 17, chest pain in 16, and dizziness or syncope in 8 patients. In 10 patients, establishing the correct diagnosis led to therapy with propranolol, with or without discontinuation of digitalis; in 7 of these, the chest pain was significantly reduced. An accurate diagnosis is particularly important because drugs that are useful in other forms of heart disease may have adverse effects in IHSS. Echocardiography is the diagnostic procedure of choice and is indicated in the presence of an unexplained systolic murmur, especially when it is associated with chest pain, syncope or left ventricular hypertrophy.

Disproportionate ventricular thickening in patients with systemic hypertension

To determine the prevalence and characteristics of disproportionate ventricular septal thickening (septal-free wall ratio of greater than or equal to 1.3) in a population of patients with severe chronic hypertension, which was unassociated with coronary arterial disease, 33 patients were studied at necropsy. The overall prevalence of disproportionate septal thickening was relatively low, ie, two (6 percent) of the 33 patients. The septal-free wall ratio in both of these patients was 1.3. Disproportionate septal thickening appeared to be secondary to the left ventricular pressure overload, rather than to coexistent genetically transmitted hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This conclusion was based on the following facts: (1) numerous disorganized cardiac muscle cells, characteristic of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, were not present in the ventricular septum of either patient with disproportionate septal thickening; and (2) echocardiographic studies performed in first-degree relatives of one of the two patients did not disclose disproportionate septal thickening. Hence, disproportionate septal thickening may occur as a secondary manifestation of left ventricular pressure overload that is present in patients with systemic hypertension, but this association appears to be relatively uncommon.

Operative treatment in hypertrophic subaortic stenosis. Techniques, and the results of pre and postoperative assessments in 83 patients

The results of operative treatment in 83 patients with idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis (IHSS) are described. Most patients with the disease are asymptomatic, or derive satisfactory symptomatic improvement from nonoperative therapy: administration of propranolol, exerice limitation, control of arrhythmia, etc. Operation is required, however, in 10-15% of patients, those who remain severely symptomatic after nonoperative treatment or who become refractory to it. Operation relieves symptoms in IHSS by relieving obstruction to left ventricular outflow, and for a patient to be considered an operative candidate severe obstruction must be documented at left heart catheterization either under resting conditions or after provocative interventions. All 83 patients were severely incapacitated--58 in Class III and 24 in Class IV. Seventy had obstruction at rest (average gradient 96 mm Hg), and 13 had only provocable obstruction. At operation the hypertrophic interventricular septum was exposed via an aortotomy, and a vertical bar of muscle was resected between parallel myotomy incisions. There were six operative deaths (7%); no patient has died since 1970. Seven patients have died late after operation, five of them from causes unrelated to their heart disease or the operation. All surviving patients describe symptomatic improvement. Fifty-two patients with obstruction at rest preoperatively (average gradient 95 mm Hg) have been studied postoperatively: no resting gradient was evident in 47, while in the remaining five the gradient was less than 25 mm Hg. Recurrence of obstruction has never been observed at late catheterization (21 pts) or late echocardiographic examination (37 pts). Obstruction could not be provoked postoperatively in ten of the 11 patients who had large gradients only with the Valsalva maneuver or isoproterenol administration preoperatively. Obstructed and provocable obstructed patients had similar symptomatic improvement after operation. A variety of rhythm and conduction abnormalities were observed both pre and postoperatively, and these are described in detail. The results of operation in these 83 patients with IHSS demonstrate that gratifying symptomatic and hemodynamic improvement uniformly follows left ventriculomyotomy and myectomy. Relief of obstruction and amelioration of symptoms have proved to be long-lasting during postoperative observation periods extending to 14 years. Continued application of the operative procedure in properly selected patients appears to be indicated.