Right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy in undetermined form of Chagas' disease

Right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy was carried out in thirty three patients with undetermined form of Chagas' disease. Fragments obtained by this method were analysed under light microscopy with hematoxilin-eosin, and Masson trichromic stains. Thirteen (39.4%) patients showed normal myocardial fragments and twenty patients (60.6%) had them altered. Alterations included fiber degeneration, volume changes, interstitial edema, inflammatory infiltrates and fibrosis. These data permit to conclude that only part of patients with this form of Chagas' disease have an incipient myocardial attack and that the alterations found in the fragments obtained are mild. The remaining patients would be either individuals with chagasic infection without cardiac disease or have spontaneous healing. This should be considered in the future treatment of the disease.