Surgical management of atrial fibrillation at the time of septal myectomy

Atrial fibrillation (AF) may appear during the natural clinical course of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). It is regarded as a complication of HCM and is a marker of advanced disease. AF is more likely to occur in untreated, obstructive HCM. Unfortunately, this represents a turning point that puts patients at increased risk of further disability, stroke and death. The presence of obstruction is an indication to proceed with septal myectomy to...