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Transesophageal Echocardiography in the Critical Care Unit

Patient Management Impact Analysis

Cardiovascular Imaging and Hemodynamic Laboratory, I uiftsNews England MNledical Center, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Ultrasound C5-US, Virginia Nlason Hospital Medical Center, 1100 Ninth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98111.

Transesopageal echocardiography is highly sensitve for evaluation of cardiac structure and hemodYnamics of blood flow through the hea.rt In the critical care setting, it often is used as a basis for additional evaluation once transthoracic methods have been inconclusive. Tis retrospectiv study was designed to report the management impact of transesophagejal echocardiography in the cntically ill patient population. Documentation for X each patient included a clinical diagsis at admission, along with;the results of the transesophageal echocariography and its impact on:patient treatment. Te imxpact of transesopagal echocariography in relation to patient treatment was baseon therapy or surgical intervention changes. The most common concerns requiring additional analysis of cardiac structures Weto rule out endocarditis (23%), evaluate hemodyvnamic instability (22.%), and to diagnose the source of embolism (21%). Of these 92 patients, 43 were postoperative evaluations. Tiansesophageal echocardioaphy was feasible in all attempts and the results prompted 37 (40%) of the patients to have treatment changes as a direct result of the examination. These findings suggest that transesophageal ehocahrdiography proides crucial diagnostic information impottant for crtical care management decisions in a safe and efctiwe manner.

Key Words: cardiac ultrasound • critical care • transesophageal echocardiography

Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Vol. 12, No. 6, 295-298 (1996)
DOI: 10.1177/875647939601200608


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