INTRAOPERATIVE ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY

Course overview

ALTHOUGH TRANSESOPHAGEAL ULTRASOUND WAS FIRST REPORTED IN THE 1970S, THE ADVENT OF PHASED ARRAY TRANSDUCERS AND FLEXIBLE TRANSESOPHAGEAL PROBES IN THE EARLY 1980S ENABLED IMPROVED VISUALIZATION OF CARDIAC STRUCTURES. TRANSESOPHAGEAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY HAS BECOME A COMMONLY USED IMAGING MODALITY IN A WIDE RANGE OF SETTINGS INCLUDING THE CARDIAC OPERATING THEATRE, THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT, THE INTERVENTIONAL LABORATORY, AS AN OUTPATIENT PROCEDURE, AND AS A MONITORING OR RESCUE DEVICE IN PATIENTS WHO HAVE OR ARE EXPECTED TO HAVE UNEXPLAINED CARDIOVASCULAR INSTABILITY. RECENTLY, THE DEVELOPMENT AND WIDESPREAD AVAILABILITY OF REAL-TIME 3-DIMENSIONAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY HAS EXPANDED THE ROLE OF TEE IN THE GUIDANCE OF COMPLICATED CARDIAC SURGICAL PROCEDURES AND CATHETER-BASED CARDIAC INTERVENTIONS SUCH AS TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENTS (TAVR).