[Transesophageal echocardiography--our preliminary experience].

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Medical Imaging
• Echocardiography

Background:

• Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) offers an alternative imaging modality to transthoracic echocardiography (TTE).
• Initial departmental experience with TEE is valuable for understanding its clinical applications and limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the initial experience with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in a clinical setting.
• To evaluate the diagnostic utility of TEE in various cardiac conditions.
• To assess the safety and complication profile of TEE.

Main Methods:

• Simultaneous TEE and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) were performed in 31 patients.
• Patients presented with diverse cardiac conditions including valve disease, ischemic heart disease, cardiomyopathy, and aortic aneurysm.
• Standard TEE views (short-axis, long-axis, four-chamber, transgastric) were utilized with an Aloka SSD 650 machine and a 7.5 MHz transducer.

Main Results:

• TEE effectively evaluated aortic and mitral valve morphology, atrial septum, and atrial cavities.
• Assessment of cardiac contractility and other heart structures was challenging with TEE.
• Proximal coronary artery sections appeared estimable via TEE.
• Minor complications included extrasystoles and transient arrhythmias; no late complications were observed.

Conclusions:

• TEE is a valuable tool for assessing cardiac valves and atrial structures.
• TEE has limitations in evaluating cardiac contractility but may visualize proximal coronary arteries.
• The procedure demonstrated a favorable safety profile with minimal acute complications.