Autologous myoblast transplantation for chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation.

Objectives: This study was designed to assess whether post-myocardial infarction (MI) in-scar transplantation of skeletal myoblasts (SM) could reduce chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation (MR) by decreasing left ventricular (LV) remodeling.

Background: Extensive work has confirmed the relationship between ischemic MR and post-myocardial infarction (MI) remodeling of the LV.

Methods: An infero-posterior MI was created in 13 sheep, thereby resulting in increasing MR.