Background: The creation of transmyocardial channels from the epicardium to the left ventricular cavity with the use of a CO2 laser is a modern approach in the treatment of patients with chronic ischemic cardiac disease. The histological features of human myocardium at different times after transmyocardial laser therapy have not been previously described. We had the opportunity to examine hearts from patients who died without clinical evidence of a persistent therapeutic effect at 3, 16, and 150 days after transmyocardial laser revascularization (TMR) respectively.
Methods and results: We grossly localized the laser-created channels in unfixed and formalin-fixed tissue. Three ventricular levels were defined for cutting the hearts into four segments. Then, transmural blocks were excised and cut crosswise and lengthwise for histological investigation through the use of established staining methods. On day 3, laser-induced channels were filled with abundant granulocytes and thrombocytes, fibrinous network, and detritus and were surrounded by severe myocardial necrosis. Furthermore, the epicardial and endocardial portions were obstructed by fibrinous network and microclots. Granulocytes were mostly absent on day 16; in addition, the channels were filled with erythrocytes or fibrinous network. On day 150, we observed a string of cicatricial tissue admixed with a polymorphous blood-filled capillary network and small veins, which very rarely had a continuous wrinkled link to the left ventricular cavity.
Conclusions: We found different stages of wound healing in human nonresponder myocardium after TMR, resulting in scarred tissue that displayed capillary network and dilated venules without evidence of patent and endothelialized laser-created channels. Experimental studies are necessary to analyze the morphological basis for TMR-mediated effects in human responder myocardium.