[The initial experience of using transesophageal echocardiography in cardiology and cardiac surgery]

The first experience with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) during diagnostic investigation and cardiac surgery is described. Three examples--atrial septal defect (ASD), formation in the right atrium, thrombus in the left atrium are discussed, when the TEE was useful in the establishment of correct diagnosis. The possibilities provided by TEE in cardiac monitoring are described. Some difficulties in the interpretation of the obtained images are listed.