Endomyocardial biopsy: the balance of success and failure.

ENDOMYOCARDIAL BIOPSY (EMB) has not fulfilled its promise. But, it may soon. It was a reasonable early expectation that the technique would provide an understanding of myocardial disease that would lead to effective treatment in most patients. This expectation has not been met. Instead, EMB has served an unforeseen medly of purposes, and has often found itself involved in odds and ends of cardiology. Yet, in circumscribed areas EMB has been successful in that it has benefited patients and clarified disease processes. In fact, the balance between successes and failures of EMB is close, and the ultimate place of EMB in cardiologic practice will be determined by the change in this balance in the near future.