title: Endomyocardial biopsy under echocardiographic monitoring.
abstract: Endomyocardial biopsy is a common procedure for monitoring cardiac allograft rejection; several techniques have been described so far, throughout different access sites and under echocardiographic or X-ray control. We describe the routine technique adopted at our centre based on echo-guided puncture of jugular vein and echocardiographic assessment of endomyocardial sampling with direct visualization of the bioptome tip. We also report the most common complications of the procedure, especially concerning the risk of iatrogenic tricuspid regurgitation, and same examples of histopathological findings drawn from our own iconographic collection.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Toscano
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gambino
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bagozzi
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Alvise
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guariento
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianpiero
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Amico
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Pathology, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Marny
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fedrigo
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padua, Padova, Italy gino.gerosa@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Gino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gerosa
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D004699:Endocardium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000601:surgery
keywords: Cardiac allograft rejection surveillance; Echo-guided biopsy; Endomyocardial biopsy