[Histological and ultrastructural characteristics of the recipients' myocardium 7-14 years after orthotopic transplantation of the heart (according to endomyocardial biopsy)].

: Light optic and electron microscopic studies were made of endomyocardial biopsies from the right ventricle of 8 patients who had undergone orthotopic transplantation of the heart 7-14 years ago. For this period rejection reaction was not typical, more marked were changes related to transplantation coronary disease and microcirculatory disorders: hibernation of cardiomyocytes (CMC), their apoptosis, interstitial fibrosis, dystrophic alterations of CMC. The results show the CMC pool may be resupplied with pluripotent (stem) cells as well as hibernating CMC which take part in the myocardial activity after myocardial circulation recovery by means of angioplasty and plasmapheresis.