Understanding HOCM – Plenty of Patients, Shortage of Surgeons

What happens when hypertrophic cardiomyopathy stops responding to medication? In this episode of A Cut Above, Perry Elliott and Michael Grimm explore the evolving treatment of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, from traditional medical therapy and new myosin inhibitors to septal myectomy and alcohol septal ablation. They discuss how anatomy, age and comorbidities shape treatment decisions, why multidisciplinary assessment is crucial, and how the emergence of myosin inhibitors is changing the role of surgery. Looking ahead, they consider the future of specialised surgical centres and the challenge that remains beyond obstruction: preventing the progression to heart failure.