Ask Dr. Z

In your opinion, is this enough documentation to show a separate reason for performing a right heart catheterization with a heart biopsy? "INDICATIONS FOR PROCEDURE: This is a 69-year-old male who was recently diagnosed with acute heart failure with severe systolic dysfunction, and as part of his workup he received a cardiac MRI that revealed evidence of an acute myocarditis versus cardiac sarcoidosis. The patient is now referred for right heart catheterization and endomyocardial biopsy. PREOPERATIVE DIAGNOSES: 1) Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. 2) Inflammatory versus infiltrating cardiomyopathy with an abnormal cardiac MRI. POSTOPERATIVE DIAGNOSES: 1) Hemodynamically well compensated heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. 2) Successful right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy."