Long-Term Outcome of Ischemic Cardiomyopathy After Autologous Myoblast Cell-Sheet Implantation.

Heart failure is a refractory condition despite remarkable medical progress in therapeutic concepts. Recently, tissue-engineered cell-sheet implantation for end-stage heart failure has been explored experimentally and clinically. We present the case of a 22-year-old woman with ischemic cardiomyopathy who underwent mitral valve replacement and coronary artery bypass graft for infective endocarditis. Ventricular assist device therapy was recommended. After cell-sheet therapy, cardiac function and clinical symptoms significantly improved, and the improvement persisted for more than 36 months without ventricular assist device therapy or heart transplantation. This regenerative treatment might be feasible and effective for severe heart failure of ischemic etiology.