What Is a Transesophageal Echocardiogram?

Transesophageal echocardiography inserts the esophagus probe from the esophagus near the left atrium behind the heart, and observes the internal heart lesions from the back of the heart. The goal is to exclude the effects of lung gases on the heart. The advantage is that the image is sharper; the disadvantage is that there are fewer sections.

Basic Information

Indications for transesophageal echocardiography

1. Infective endocarditis.

2. Patients with shock due to obstruction of the heart and large blood vessels.

3. Differential diagnosis of chest pain, such as the identification of dissection aneurysms and complications after myocardial infarction.

4. Acute valve dysfunction.

5. Diagnosis of the etiology of cardiogenic embolism.

6. Complications of the heart and large blood vessels during chest trauma, such as rupture of the heart and aortic rupture.

7. Perioperative cardiac function monitoring.

Contraindications for transesophageal echocardiography

1. Extremely weak constitution, persistent high fever, and allergic to anesthetic.

2. Severe arrhythmia, severe heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, acute myocardial infarction, high or low blood pressure.

3. Pharyngeal or esophageal lesions such as ulcers, varicose veins, etc.

Transesophageal echocardiography

Fasting should be fasted before transesophageal echocardiography. Patients are sober, they should be introduced to the purpose and progress of the examination, and to obtain the patient's cooperation. Take the left side of the patient more often, put the transesophageal ultrasound probe into the patient's mouth, and make him swallow slowly.

Transesophageal echocardiography complications

1. Nausea and vomiting.

2. Esophageal perforation, bleeding or local hematoma.

3. Mucosal anesthesia allergy inversion.

4. Pharyngeal bleeding or hematoma.

5. Aspiration of the contents of the oral mucosa into the trachea caused suffocation.

Clinical significance of transesophageal echocardiography

1. Coronary disease such as coronary arteriovenous fistula, abnormal origin of coronary arteries, etc.

2. Intracardiac masses and thrombosis, especially for the discovery of thrombus in the left atrial appendage, which is difficult to show through the chest.

3. Congenital heart disease, atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect, right ventricular outflow tract and pulmonary artery stenosis.

4. Aortic diseases such as aortic dilatation, sclerotic plaque, aortic dissection, aortic tear, etc.

5. Valve disease such as mitral valve, tricuspid valve, aortic valve disease; evaluation of artificial valve function and judge whether there is pervalvular leak. Infective endocarditis is better than transthoracic examination in detecting neoplasms, discovering leaflet destruction and abscess formation.

6. Intraoperative monitoring of cardiac and non-cardiac surgery.