Treatment of heart failure with autologous skeletal myoblasts.

BACKGROUND: The management of patients with heart failure is a daily challenge for cardiologists and cardiac surgeons. Pharmacotherapy, atrio-biventricular resynchronization, myocardial revascularization, valve repair techniques, latissimus dorsi cardiomyopathy, acorn cardiac support device, heart transplantation and mechanical assist devices do not cover all the needs. The recent progress in cellular and molecular biology allows the development of new therapies for heart failure. TRANSPLANTATION OF AUTOLOGOUS CELLS: One of the most innovative consists in the transplantation of autologous ex-vivo expanded cells into the myocardium for heart muscle regeneration. This approach is called "cellular cardiomyoblasty".