<unk>  is a cardiac surgery treatment for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The open-heart surgery entails removing a portion of the septum that is obstructing the flow of blood from the left ventricle to the aorta.<unk> es have been successfully performed since the 1960s. The most common alternatives to<unk> es are treatment with medication (usually beta or calcium blockers) or non-surgical thinning of tissue with alcohol ablation. Ordinarily,<unk> es are performed only after attempts at treatment with medication fail. The choice between<unk>  and alcohol ablation is a complex medical decision. __TOC__
Septal myectomy
Cardiomyoplasty
Heller myotomy
Ballottement
Valvulotomy
Pericardiectomy
Cellular cardiomyoplasty
Pericardial window