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Updated: Jul 10, 2026
Noninvasive Determination of Vortex Formation Time Using Transesophageal Echocardiography During Cardiac Surgery
Published on: November 28, 2018
Validation and feasibility of intraoperative three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiographic cardiac output
William C Culp1, Timothy R Ball, Christopher J Burnett
1Division of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, Scott & White Hospital, The Texas A&M University System Health Science Center College of Medicine, Temple, TX 76508, USA. wculp@swmail.sw.org
Background:
In this pilot study, we attempted to validate three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (3DTEE) cardiac output and assess its feasibility intraoperatively.
Methods:
Twenty patients undergoing cardiac surgery underwent simultaneous cardiac output determinations during the clinically stable prebypass period by 3DTEE and thermodilution.
Results:
The correlation coefficient between cardiac output measured by the two methods was 0.86. The 3DTEE mean bias was 0.27 L/min, limits of agreement -1.64 to 2.17 L/min (approximately +/-35%). Three-dimensional data acquisition averaged 43 s; postprocessing took 7 min.
Conclusions:
Three-dimensional TEE can measure cardiac output and is feasible perioperatively. Measurements have good correlation with thermodilution, though with a significant bias and wide limits of agreement.
