[Role of echocardiography after cardiac surgery during rehabilitation]

In this review, specific aspects and implications of echocardiography in patients who had undergone recent cardiac surgery will be analysed. This imaging method, which is fully effective in clinical practice, actually possesses diagnostic characteristics, which during assessments of patients, are found to be noninvasive and easily repeatable. They are of great value amongst this particular group of patients for discovering any possible complications from the surgical procedures. Technical problems and methodology will be described regarding the specificity of the patient during the early days after cardiac surgery (for instance the difficulties of executing in certain post-operative conditions such as pain, injuries or worsening of acoustic window). Informative contribution and specific assessment in patients following myocardial revascularisation surgery, reconstructive or valvular replacement surgery, and left ventricle or thoracic aorta surgery will be analysed. The role of echocardiography in the identification and monitoring of the main complications related to the operation will also be described. The increasing diagnostic potential and assessment of the investigation is thanks to its systematic use which lasts for the intensive phase of cardiac rehabilitation, but assumes specific and adequate operator competence for optimum use in clinical examinations.