Abstract
Electron microscopic examination of myocardium obtained by needle biopsy from patients with alcoholic heart disease revealed striking changes in subcellular elements. In the typical field examined, contractile elements were missing entirely or degenerating, while mitochondria were increased in number. The latter were swollen, while their cristae were reduced in number or were absent entirely (mitochondrial ghosts). In some specimens the sarcoplasmic reticulum was distended to cystic proportions and fat deposits were increased. Some of these changes were probably influenced by timing of the biopsy with respect to removal of alcohol and nutritional supplementation. From preliminary electron microscopic observations made by others in other forms of human heart disease, these changes appear to be characteristic of alcoholic heart disease.