New endomyocardial biopsy catheter for the left ventricle.
A new biopsy catheter specifically made for left ventricular endomyocardial biopsy is described. The biopsy catheter is equipped with a device enabling one to bend the tip at will by rotating a knob on the operating handle. The rate of success in obtaining left ventricular biopsy specimens was very high (100%) and there were no serious complications in a group of 10 dogs and in five patients with cardiomyopathy.
D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D004699:Endocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*