The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not the biochemical, functional, and ultrastructural abnormalities produced by brief temporary coronary occlusions (unassociated with necrosis) ever resolve and, if so, when they do. Anesthetized open-chest dogs were subjected to 15 min of coronary artery occlusion followed by 72 hr, 7 days, or 14 days of reperfusion. Serial in vivo myocardial biopsies were performed for measurement of ATP and for ultrastructural analysis. Regional function was evaluated by sonomicrometry. Mean (+/- SEM) myocardial ATP concentration was 36.6 +/- 1.2 nmol/mg of cardiac protein in nonischemic subendocardium and 18.9 +/- 1.5 in ischemic subendocardium after 15 min of ischemia. ATP remainede performed for measurement of ATP and for ultrastructural analysis. Regional function was evaluated by sonomicrometry. Mean (+/- SEM) myocardial ATP concentration was 36.6 +/- 1.2 nmol/mg of cardiac protein in nonischemic subendocardium and 18.9 +/- 1.5 in ischemic subendocardium after 15 min of ischemia. ATP remainede performed for measurement of ATP and for ultrastructural analysis. Regional function was evaluated by sonomicrometry. Mean (+/- SEM) myocardial ATP concentration was 36.6 +/- 1.2 nmol/mg of cardiac protein in nonischemic subendocardium and 18.9 +/- 1.5 in ischemic subendocardium after 15 min of ischemia. ATP remained depressed in the reperfused previously ischemic subendocardium at both 90 min (68% of nonischemic value) and 72 hr (78% of nonischemic value) but returned to normal at 7 days. Regional systolic function and cardiac ultrastructural abnormalities required 7 days for full recovery. Histologic and histochemical analysis did not reveal necrosis at any time. Therefore, biochemical, functional, and ultrastructural abnormalities induced by brief periods of transient coronary occlusion not associated with necrosis do resolve completely but the recovery period is prolonged.