Preservation or ischemia/reperfusion injury is seen early after
transplantation and is characterized by areas of ischemic
myocyte necrosis and/or variable areas of myocyte dropout.
This necrotic/dropout zones are usually associated with mild
neutrophilic or no inflammation, in contrast to the mononuclear
and eosinophilic infiltrate that commonly signals the onset of
acute cellular rejection.
Sampling of previous biopsy sites is also common early
after transplantation. Common features include partially
organized fibrin masses, mildly inflamed granulation tissue, iron or
ceroid-ladened macrophages and disorganization of cardiac
myocytes at the base of the lesion.
