National survey of the use of endomyocardial biopsy in Japan.
A national survey of endomyocardial biopsy procedures was conducted in Japan. Questionnaires were mailed to 852 institutions and statistical analysis of the 213 completed questionnaires (25.0% of the total) was performed. Cardiac biopsies were being performed at 134 of these institutions (62.9%), representing a 5.5-fold increase over 1980. A total of 19,964 cardiac biopsies have been performed in Japan. Specimens were obtained from the right ventricle at 113 institutions, and from the left ventricle at 76 centers. The Konno-Sakakibara bioptome was used at 32 institutions, whereas the long sheath method was used at 98 institutions. Sixty of the institutions (44.8%) had encountered ventricular wall perforation. The perforation rate of the two ventricles combined was 0.7% (147 of 19,964 cases), with a mortality rate of 0.05% (10 of 19,964 cases). Endomyocardial biopsy has become widespread in Japan, and its safety was ascertained by this national survey.
Hiramitsu
S
S
Department of Internal Medicine, Fujita Health University, School of Medicine, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan.
Hiroe
M
M
Uemura
A
A
Kimura
K
K
Hishida
H
H
Morimoto
S
S
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*