Autologous Transplantation of Bone Marrow Mononuclear Stem-Cells by Mini-Thoracotomy

Patients with previous diagnosis of non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. were included. Bone-marrow was collected from in the antero-superior iliac crest and mononuclear stem-cells were isolated by centrifugation in the density rate Ficoll-Hypaque 1.077 media. Surgical technique - The approach was through a left mini-thoracotomy. Twenty small injections of cellular suspension were directly made through a 21F butterfly needle(total=5 ml), in the anterior, lateral, posterior and apical faces of the left ventricle(average 9.6 ± 2.6 x 107 cells). After the procedure, the patients were kept in the post-operative intensive care unit for a minimum period of 24 hours. They were released from the hospital in a period that varied from five to seven days.