Transesophageal Echocardiography From Upper Respiratory Endoscopic Processes

Abstract

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is a semi-invasive procedure that has an important place in the perioperative management of cardiac surgery and in guiding diagnosis and treatment in hemodynamically unstable patients. TEE is used to evaluate the anatomical structure, pressure, and function of the heart valves, aorta, atrium and ventricles, atrioventricular septum, pulmonary vein, and pulmonary arteries. Intraoperative TEE is very important in guiding the treatment/surgery for heart valve repair or replacement in cardiac surgery and increasing the chance of success of the surgery. Transthoracic echocardiography may sometimes be insufficient in the evaluation of echocardiographic functions in critically ill patients. TEE provides fast and necessary information at the bedside for the management of patients who are hemodynamically unstable for any reason. Complication rates related to TEE performed in the outpatient clinic, perioperative period, and intensive care units vary. Complications related to TEE performed in the intensive care and intraoperative period may be slightly higher. Most of the complications of TEE are associated with probe insertion and manipulation. In cases where TEE is absolutely contraindicated, it is recommended using alternative echocardiographic imaging methods. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023.