Experimental Needle Biopsy of the Myocardium of Dogs With Particular Reference to Histologic Study by Electron Microscopy

Abstract

Our experience with needle biopsy of the heart in dogs indicates that myocardial tissue can be sampled one or more times in each animal with comparative safety. Tamponade, pericarditis, serious arrhythmias, or myocardial infarction due to the interruption of coronary vessels was not observed. Excellent specimens were obtained for critical study by light and electron microscopy. Casten and Marsh (1) have used biochemical techniques to study myocardial tissue obtained in similar fashion. Histochemical methods would also be applicable. Although limited to animal studies at present, the technique may conceivably be adapted to the study of human disease. Myocardial puncture has been carried out (20–22) in patients for the recording of intracardiac pressures and for other diagnostic purposes without apparent harm. Our study of the myocardium of dogs by electron microscopy generally confirms the observations of other workers, except that presence of significant numbers of red blood cells in the extravascular spaces of the heart had not been previously described (and is possibly an artifact). Nevertheless, it is notable that the tissue cells, cellular membranes, and intracellular structures appeared to be intact and undistorted in the tissue specimens which were obtained, fixed, and examined by these methods.

An Electron Microscope Study of the Embryology of the Intercalated Disc in the Heart of the Rabbit

“…The electron microscope studies of Van Breeman (23), SjSstrand and Andersson (22), Price, Weiss, Hata, and Smith (18) and the present work seemed to show that the adult intercalated disc was the site of junction of neighbouring cardiac muscle cells, and so support the work of Weruer (24) and von Palczewska (16). Lewis (14), employing tissue cultures of cardiac muscle in which individual cells contracted at different rates, concluded that the cells were physiologically and probably structurally independent.…”

Endomyocardial biopsy: A review of the literature

“…Casten and Marsh [l], in 1953, were the first researchers to initiate biopsy of the heart by carrying out metabolic investigations on cardiac muscle derived by serial percutaneous needle biopsy of the beating heart in unanesthetized closed-chest dogs. This publication was soon followed, in 1955, by that of Price et a1 [2], who employed a similar procedure to assess electron microscopic findings. The following year, Sutton et a1 [3] reported a similar percutaneous technique and subsequently published the results of this diagnostic procedure in 54 consecutive cases [4].…”

Studies on the Endoplasmic Reticulum

“…Electron microscope studies of cardiac muscle previously reported have placed particular emphasis on the form and interrelationships of the myofibrils (30)(31)(32), and the structure and disposition of the sarcosomes (33). In most instances these early observations were made on badly preserved material and, as a consequence, have limited value.…”