Transesophageal echocardiography

Transesophageal Echocardiography

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is a diagnostic medical procedure that uses ultrasound to create detailed images of the heart and its structures. Unlike transthoracic echocardiography, where the ultrasound probe is placed on the chest wall, TEE involves inserting a specialized probe into the esophagus, which lies close to the heart. This proximity allows for clearer and more detailed images, making TEE a valuable tool in the diagnosis and management of various cardiac conditions.

Indications

TEE is indicated in several clinical scenarios, including:

• Assessment of cardiac valves: TEE provides detailed images of the heart valves, making it useful in evaluating conditions such as valvular heart disease, endocarditis, and prosthetic valve function.
• Detection of cardiac masses: TEE can identify cardiac tumors and thrombi, particularly in the left atrium and atrial appendage.
• Evaluation of congenital heart disease: TEE is used to assess complex congenital heart defects, especially in adults.
• Intraoperative monitoring: TEE is frequently used during cardiac surgery to monitor heart function and guide surgical interventions.
• Assessment of aortic pathology: TEE is effective in diagnosing aortic dissection and aneurysms.

Procedure

The TEE procedure involves several steps:

1. Preparation: The patient is typically asked to fast for several hours before the procedure. Sedation is administered to ensure comfort. 2. Probe insertion: A lubricated TEE probe is gently inserted into the patient's mouth and advanced into the esophagus. 3. Image acquisition: The probe emits ultrasound waves, which are reflected by the heart structures and captured to create images. 4. Interpretation: A cardiologist interprets the images to diagnose or assess the cardiac condition.

Advantages

TEE offers several advantages over transthoracic echocardiography:

• Superior image quality: The esophageal position allows for high-resolution images of the heart and great vessels.
• Better visualization of posterior structures: TEE provides excellent views of the left atrium, atrial appendage, and mitral valve.
• Reduced interference: TEE images are less affected by obesity, lung disease, or chest wall deformities.

Risks and Complications

While TEE is generally safe, it carries some risks, including:

• Esophageal injury: There is a small risk of esophageal perforation or bleeding.
• Aspiration: Sedation increases the risk of aspiration, especially if fasting guidelines are not followed.
• Arrhythmias: The procedure may induce transient arrhythmias.

Also see

• Echocardiography
• Transthoracic echocardiography
• Cardiac imaging
• Ultrasound

Cardiovascular disease A-Z

Most common cardiac diseases

• Cardiac arrhythmia‎
• Cardiogenetic disorders‎
• Cardiomegaly‎
• Cardiomyopathy‎
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation‎
• Chronic rheumatic heart diseases‎
• Congenital heart defects‎
• Heart neoplasia‎
• Ischemic heart diseases‎
• Pericardial disorders
• Syndromes affecting the heart‎
• Valvular heart disease‎

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A

• Accelerated idioventricular rhythm
• Acute decompensated heart failure
• Arteriosclerotic heart disease
• Athletic heart syndrome
• Atrial flutter
• Atrioventricular fistula
• Cardiovascular disease in Australia
• Autoimmune heart disease

B

• Brown atrophy of the heart

C

• Ebb Cade
• Cardiac allograft vasculopathy
• Cardiac amyloidosis
• Cardiac asthma
• Cardiac tamponade
• Cardiogenic shock
• Cardiogeriatrics
• Cardiorenal syndrome
• Cardiotoxicity
• Carditis
• Coronary artery aneurysm
• Coronary artery anomaly
• Coronary artery disease
• Spontaneous coronary artery dissection
• Coronary artery ectasia
• Coronary occlusion
• Coronary steal
• Coronary thrombosis
• Coronary vasospasm
• Cœur en sabot
• Coxsackievirus-induced cardiomyopathy

D

• Duke Treadmill Score
• Duroziez's disease

E

• Eisenmenger's syndrome
• Embryocardia
• Endocardial fibroelastosis
• Eosinophilic myocarditis

H

• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
• Heart to Heart (1949 film)
• High-output heart failure
• Hyperdynamic precordium

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

I

• Idiopathic giant-cell myocarditis
• Interventricular dyssynchrony
• Intraventricular dyssynchrony
• Isolated atrial amyloidosis

K

• Keshan disease

L

• Loeffler endocarditis

M

• Mydicar
• Myocardial bridge
• Myocardial disarray
• Myocardial rupture
• Myocardial scarring
• Myocardial stunning
• Myocarditis

N

• Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis

O

• OLR1
• Ostial disease

P

• Papillary fibroelastoma
• Pathophysiology of heart failure
• Postpericardiotomy syndrome
• Pulmonary vein stenosis

R

• Right axis deviation
• Roemheld syndrome

S

• Saturated fat and cardiovascular disease
• SCAR-Fc
• Shone's syndrome
• Strain pattern
• Subacute bacterial endocarditis
• Sudden cardiac death of athletes

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

T

• Traumatic cardiac arrest

V

• Ventricular aneurysm
• Vibroacoustic disease
• Viral cardiomyopathy

W

• Waon therapy