Fuwai Hospital in Beijing Performs Breakthrough Cardiac Surgery for Obese Patient with Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy

Fuwai Hospital’s Cardiovascular Department in Beijing has achieved a major technical breakthrough by successfully performing a high-difficulty "Percutaneous Myocardial Septal Radiofrequency Ablation" on a middle-aged male patient weighing 244 pounds. This marks a milestone in the hospital’s ability to treat hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) and is especially significant for patients with complex body types, establishing the hospital's leadership in this specialized field.

The patient, who had long been suffering from unexplained chest pain, was diagnosed with HOCM, a heart condition associated with a high risk of sudden cardiac death. HOCM is caused by abnormal thickening of the heart's interventricular septum, which obstructs normal blood flow and can lead to chest pain, fainting, or even sudden death.

Initially hesitant to seek treatment outside the region, the patient and his family were reassured after a thorough consultation with Dr. Wu Sanwu, the Director of the Cardiovascular Department. After carefully evaluating the patient's condition and discussing the risks associated with his severe obesity, Dr. Wu and his team devised a personalized treatment plan, ensuring the patient’s confidence to undergo the procedure at Fuwai Hospital.

For this patient, conventional cardiac interventions posed a significant challenge due to his obesity, and the percutaneous myocardial septal radiofrequency ablation (PMRSA) itself is a technically demanding procedure requiring high precision. The addition of the patient's extreme weight increased the complexity and risks of the surgery. However, led by Dr. Wu, the surgical team, including Dr. Li Bo and Dr. Wu You, overcame these challenges, successfully performing the procedure with the assistance of the ultrasound imaging department and anesthesia team. The radiofrequency needle was precisely inserted into the heart and directed to the thickened septal tissue, where it emitted high-frequency alternating currents to cause localized tissue coagulation and necrosis, relieving the obstructed blood flow.

The procedure was successful, with the patient showing significant improvement in his chest pain and a remarkable recovery. Just one day after the surgery, the patient was able to move freely, demonstrating the rapid recovery typical of minimally invasive procedures.

What is Percutaneous Myocardial Septal Radiofrequency Ablation (PMRSA)?

Percutaneous Myocardial Septal Radiofrequency Ablation is a minimally invasive technique developed for treating hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. Unlike traditional open-chest surgery or catheter-based chemical ablation, this procedure uses ultrasound guidance to deliver a radiofrequency needle through the skin to the thickened myocardium of the interventricular septum. The high-frequency electrical currents cause the targeted heart muscle to heat, leading to irreversible coagulative necrosis of the thickened tissue. This reduces the septal thickness and widens the narrowed area to alleviate obstruction and improve blood flow.

Advantages of PMRSA:

1. Minimally Invasive: No need for chest opening, with only a small puncture site left. The procedure targets the exact area, sparing healthy heart tissue.
2. High Control: Ablation depth and area can be monitored and adjusted in real-time, ensuring safety.
3. Quick Recovery: Patients experience faster recovery times, with shorter hospital stays and quicker returns to daily activities.
4. Wide Applicability: Ideal for patients who cannot undergo or prefer not to have traditional surgery, or those who have had limited success with other treatments.

The successful completion of this high-risk procedure at Fuwai Hospital not only saved the patient's life but also demonstrated the hospital’s growing capabilities in interventional cardiology, providing new hope for patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.