title: Complications of 2-D echocardiography guided transfemoral right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy.
abstract: Endomyocardial biopsy (EMBx) is a useful tool for diagnosing various cardiac pathologies. However, the routine use of EMBx has not gained widespread acceptance due to the possible complications related to the EMBx. Thus, not much information is available on the complications related to the EMBx. We prospectively evaluated 90 consecutive patients who underwent 2-D echocardiography guided transfemoral right ventricular EMBx at Kyungpook National University Hospital between March 2002 and November 2005 to determine the incidence, nature and subsequent management of complications related to EMBx. The clinical diagnoses before the EMBx were arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia in 54, dilated cardiomyopathy in 19, Brugada syndrome in 9, myocarditis in 6 and miscellaneous in 2 patients. The overall major complication rate was 5.6% and no procedure-related mortality occurred. Myocardial perforation (n=3), which was the most frequent complication, did not progress to cardiac tamponade requiring pericardiocentesis in any patient. Hemodynamically unstable ventricular tachycardia occurred in 1 patient. New and persistent right bundle branch block occurred in another. Our findings suggest that 2-D echocardiography guided transfemoral right ventricular EMBx is a relatively safe procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University Hospital, 50 Samduck 2-Ga, Jung-Gu, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Juyup
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Yongwhi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Hyunsang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyunjae
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Hyungseop
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dong Heon
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hun Sik
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Yongkeun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Shung-Chull
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chae
authors.forename: Jae-Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.forename: Wee-Hyun
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D004699:Endocardium / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*