Modified transvenous endomyocardial biopsy technique in dogs.

A technique for transvenous endomyocardial biopsy of the right ventricle was developed and evaluated for safety and efficacy in healthy dogs and dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy positioned in lateral recumbency. This technique allowed acquisition of multiple biopsy specimens from the right ventricle of each of 22 hemodynamically normal dogs and 40 of 42 dogs with congestive heart failure. In 2 dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy, transvenous access to the right ventricle could not be achieved, but left ventricular biopsy was performed without complication. Complications were infrequent, and dogs recovered to at least their baseline status within 48 hours. Evaluation of the efficacy and complication rate of the procedure with each of the 2 biopsy instruments currently available identified no differences between them.