[Endomyocardial biopsy following heart transplantation: results and complications]

Heart transplantation (HTPL) has worldwide become a well established therapy of terminal heart failure. Besides non-invasive parameters the endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) is proved to be the goldstandard method for early detection of graft rejection. At the University Hospital of Zurich 31 HTPL have been performed between September 1985 and December 1987. 100 out of 460 EMB's showed moderate or severe rejection and needed additional immunosuppressive treatment. 1.5% of all EMB's caused further treatment due to local or systemic complications.