Myoblast transplantation for heart failure

Intramyocardial skeletal muscle transplantation has been shown experimental ly to improve heart function after infarction. We report success with this procedure in a patient with severe ischaemic heart failure. Wa implanted au tologous skeletal myoblasts into the postinfarction scar during coronary ar tery bypass grafting of remote myocardial areas. 5 months later, there was evidence of contraction and viability in the grafted scar on echocardiograp hy and positron emission tomography. Although this result is encouraging, i t requires validation by additional studies.