[Endomyocardial biopsy. Innocuousness and clinical value. A 5-year experience]

The authors present their experience of the endomyocardaial biopsy procedure by Konno's technique; they have carried out 180 biopsies in 94 subjects. When the person taking the biopsy is experienced, the procedure is trouble-free, and yields tissue fragments of good quality which are suitable both for histological study and for study of ultrastructure. Biopsies from 47 cases of primary congestive cardiomyopathy have formed the basis of a precise histological study, and have been compared with the findings of a control group comprising various cardiac defects and three normal hearts. The diagnostic and prognostic value of the method are discussed.