A case of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy with aortic stenosis

Abstract A 78-year-old woman complained of experiencing dyspnea (New York Heart Association II) and faintness. Echocardiography revealed she had asymmetric left ventricular hypertrophy, and a dynamic left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction due to systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve. It also revealed calcification of the noncoronary cusp and a high-flow velocity in the LVOT (6.3 m/s). The planimetry measurement with transesophageal echocardiography was 0.89 cm 2 (aortic valve area/body surface area: 0.69 cm 2 /m 2 ). Later, she was diagnosed with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) and aortic stenosis (AS). However, during the catheterization, the transvalvular pressure gradient (PG) was only 25 mmHg. In order to solve this, we performed a percutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation. As a result, the PG of the LVOT decreased from 152 mmHg to 25 mmHg. We first thought that the LVOT obstruction had reduced the flow passing through the aortic valve, and restricted the motion of the aortic valve leaflets. We also considered the possibility that the aortic valve area had been underestimated. The hemodynamic study played an important role in the decision for the treatment plan. The present case was a combination of HOCM and “mild” AS. Learning objective : We know that we can distinguish between a left ventricular outflow tract obstruction and aortic stenosis using continuous-wave Doppler according to the phase of the peak gradient. However, if both are present, it is uncertain whether we can distinguish between them. It is necessary to measure the subaortic pressure and flow passing through the aortic valve accurately by catheterization in order to know which is the chief pathology.>