CaRi-heart technology
Revolutionary new technology to assess the risk of a serious heart condition or heart attack – many years before anything happens.
Heart surgery for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)
Septal myectomy
- No.1 in the UK for private cardiac care
- Appointments in as little as 24 hours
- 99% of our cardiac patients would recommend us to friends and family
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Septal Myectomy at HCA UK
Why choose us?
If you’re concerned about your heart health and looking for expert care, you can be assured you’ll be in experienced hands. Here at HCA UK, we’ve been successfully treating cardiac patients for decades, and we’re currently rated as the UK’s no.1 provider of private cardiac care.
You’ll be seen, diagnosed and treated by some of the country’s leading cardiac consultants. They’ll work with multidisciplinary teams and use the latest technology and techniques to tailor effective septal myectomy treatment precisely to your needs.
Their expertise is what helps us achieve a success rate of 99% across all our cardiac surgery, and why over 99% of our patients would happily recommend us to friends and family.
Get in touch if we can help.
A septal myectomy is an open-heart surgical procedure that removes part of the wall of your heart muscle. If you have a condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), it can cause the wall of your heart to thicken. Up to half of patients then get a left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, when your mitral valve is sucked towards that thickened area. This can make it harder for your heart to pump the blood out, and can lead to symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain dizziness or even blackouts.
Most of the time, your outflow tract obstruction can be managed with drugs like beta blockers or calcium antagonists, or a new type of drug called a myosin inhibitor (such as mavacamtem).
If you continue to experience symptoms even after medication, procedures such as alcohol septal ablation and septal myectomy surgery may need to be considered.
This open-heart surgical procedure is generally considered to be low risk, but all surgery carries some risks, including bleeding, blood clots and infection. Septal myectomy also has some specific risks, including:
- Fluid pooling around your heart and lungs
- Atrial fibrillation, which is disruption to your heart’s electrical signals that can lead to rapid, irregular heart rhythm
- Heart block, where the signal between your upper and lower heart is disrupted, causing arrythmia
Your risk is also increased if you smoke, if you suffer from other heart conditions or if you’re aged over 65. Before any treatment, your consultant will talk you through your specific surgery and explain any risks in detail.
This is a major surgical procedure, so you’ll need to stay in intensive care for one or two days immediately afterwards so your team can monitor your condition closely. After that, you’ll be moved to your own comfortable private room in the hospital, where you’ll need to stay for around six or seven days.
Your consultant and team will give you detailed advice about medication, caring for your incision and gradually returning to your everyday life, both in the short term and for your longer overall recovery.
Your full recovery time will depend on the extent of your surgery, as well as your age and general health.
250+
expert cardiology consultants to choose from
36,000+
cardiac patients treated each year
48 hours
turnaround for diagnostic results
Rapid access to tests and scans
See a specialist and get on the path to an expert diagnosis in as little as 24 hours.
State-of-the-art facilities
Access innovative treatment options.
Wide-reaching expertise across the UK
Visit any of our 15 dedicated diagnostic centres in London, Manchester and Birmingham.
Your myectomy surgery with HCA UK
What to expect
Heart surgery is a major undertaking, and your consultant and team will specifically tailor your treatment to the exact nature of your condition. You’ll be kept updated and informed at every stage of the process, and the team will always be able to answer any questions you have, but this should give you a clear idea of how the process works.
01
Initial consultation
The first step on any cardiac surgery path is to sit down and talk in detail with one of our expert cardiology consultants. They’ll ask you about your symptoms, your medical history and your overall health and lifestyle, before arranging the tests and scans needed to make a detailed and accurate diagnosis.
02
Tests and scans
Your consultant will need to get specific images and information about your heart’s structure and function, so they can plan your septal myectomy in detail. You’ll need to have several different tests and scans, which may include blood tests, a transoesophageal echocardiogram, a transthoracic echocardiogram, an electrocardiogram, chest X-rays or a CT scan too. We know waiting can be stressful, so we’ll get your results back to you within 48 hours. Then you’ll have a follow-up appointment with your cardiac consultant, who will take you through your upcoming surgery in detail.
03
Your septal myectomy surgery
This is open-heart surgery, so you’ll need to have a general anaesthetic beforehand. Your consultant will then make an incision in your chest so they can open your sternum and get direct access to your heart. Then they’ll remove a small amount of the thickened septal wall separating the right and left ventricles of your heart. If it’s necessary, your consultant may also repair your mitral valve at the same time. This prevents mitral valve regurgitation, which is when blood leaks the wrong way into your heart. It’s a common complication with this condition.
04
Recovery and aftercare
You’ll be taken to intensive care immediately afterwards, where your consultant and team will closely monitor your heart and other vital signs to make sure the surgery has gone well and you’re on your way to recovery. This stage should last one or two days.
Then you’ll be moved to a regular hospital bed, where you can spend the next four or five days resting and recovering, before your team give you any medication you need to manage your pain and recovery at home, as well as detailed advice about slowly and safely returning to regular life.
Our locations
Where can I get septal myectomy surgery?
Get the expert diagnosis and treatment you need at our network of clinics and specialist cardiac hospitals in London and Birmingham.
London Bridge Hospital
27 Tooley Street SE1 2PR London
The Harley Street Clinic
35 Weymouth Street W1G 8BJ London
The Harborne Hospital
Mindelsohn Way B15 2TQ Birmingham
Accessing private health care
Self-pay
You don’t need health insurance to be seen quickly. If you’re looking for a diagnosis or treatment and don’t want to wait, all our private healthcare services – from private GP appointments through to surgery and aftercare – can be paid for as and when you need them.
And to give you peace of mind from the start, we’ll offer you a clear and transparent quote outlining exactly what’s included in your self-pay package.
Septal myectomy FAQs
You will be in hospital for several days, so you should bring any clothing, toiletries and personal belongings you might need. Your consultant will give you specific instructions about when to stop eating and drinking beforehand, as you’ll be having a general anaesthetic, and advise you about making arrangements for getting home safely afterwards.
Septal myectomy surgery is open-heart surgery that is designed to treat a condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), The surgery is only carried out in patients who have severe symptomatic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction despite optimal medical therapy. This disease causes the wall of the muscle between the two bottom chambers of your heart to thicken, a process called hypertrophying. This thickened wall, called a septum, can block the flow of blood out of your heart (left ventricular outflow tract obstruction), stiffen your left ventricle or rearrange the cells in your heart.
All of these can have a detrimental effect on the way your heart functions.
Septal myectomy treats this condition by surgically removing the tissue that’s causing the obstruction. It can also be an opportunity to repair your mitral valve, as mitral valve abnormalities are quite common if you have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and often contribute to your left ventricular outflow tract obstruction.
If you have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), it may also be possible to treat your condition with another technique called alcohol septal ablation. This is a non-surgical procedure, which involves your consultant inserting a catheter with small balloon on the end into the artery that carries blood to your blocked septum. After inflating the ballon to widen that artery, a small amount of alcohol is injected through the catheter. This causes a small number of cells to shrink and die, leaving a resulting scar tissue that’s narrower than the original muscle, which unblocks your septum.
This procedure might be recommended if you’re older, or if surgery poses a higher risk for you. Your consultant can discuss your treatment options and help you decide if alcohol septal ablation is a good option for you.
Our patients' stories
How a health kick revealed a serious heart condition
When the UK went into lockdown in March 2020, like millions of others, 56-year-old House Manager James took the opportunity to introduce some simple daily exercise into his busy work schedule. Little did he know that the changes would reveal a hidden heart condition, that would require a triple heart bypass to fix.
"Time is of the essence with my heart, as I have diabetes"
Saleem, 57, keeps an active lifestyle to remain fit and healthy. He plays badminton once a week and goes for a walk in the morning and evening every day. Despite having type 2 diabetes, he continues to have a balanced and energetic life.
Solving Alex’s undiagnosed heart condition
At the age of 12, dancer Alex Brookes began experiencing irregular heart palpations. After initially being told it was nothing to worry about, her symptoms persisted and her mum decided it was best to seek medical advice and chose The Portland Hospital.
“Prof. Carr-White diagnosed my condition, and I have been in his care for over 10 years now. At a young age with an heart condition and the many highs and lows and emotional roller coasters I went through, I found Dr Carr-White extremely caring towards me at all times.”
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This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.