Human left ventricular ultrastructure. Clinical and laboratory catheterization correlation.

Biopsy specimens of the myocardium for electron microscopical study were taken from patients who were having surgical operations for correction of aortic and mitral valve lesions. Ultranstructural changes characteristic of hypertrophy and ischemia were found in the left ventricles of groups with aortic and mitral lesions. The severity of the cardiomyopathy was greater in hearts that had aortic lesions than in those that had mitral lesions. Both groups, however, displayed degenerative changes to an extent not readily appreciated or expected when their clinical histories and catheterization data were obtained.