A Heart with HCM Before and During a Myectomy

An illustration of a heart with the obstructive form of HCM before (left) and during (right) surgical septal myectomy. The surgeon performs the operation by making a small incision in the aorta (main vessel carrying blood away from the heart) and looking down at the septum through the aortic valve. A variable, patient-specific amount of heart muscle from the septum is removed.