Question

Which of the following will be seen on cardiac biopsy of a patient who had a post MI reperfusion injury?

• A. Waviness of fibres
• B. Eosinophilic contraction bands
• C. Neutrophils in cardiac cells
• D. Swelling of cells

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Post-myocardial infarction (MI) reperfusion injury is associated with pathological changes due to the sudden return of blood flow to ischemic cardiac tissues. One specific characteristic seen on cardiac biopsy during this phenomenon is the presence of eosinophilic contraction bands.

These contraction bands are indicative of damage at the cellular level and occur due to the calcium influx resulting from reperfusion. As calcium floods the myocytes, hypercontraction occurs, which in turn leads to the formation of these distinctive, eosinophilic bands within the myocardial fibers.

This answer is further supported by understanding the pathophysiological process of reperfusion injury: when ischemic cells are rapidly re-exposed to blood supply, there is an oxidative burst along with abrupt ionic shifts, particularly of calcium. This leads to the hypercontracted state of myofibrils manifesting as contraction bands.

Therefore, the correct answer to identify on cardiac biopsy in this scenario is: Eosinophilic contraction bands.