Transoesophageal echocardiography current practice in France: A multicentre study

Few data are available on the application of transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) recommendations in daily practice.

To evaluate TOE practice based on echocardiography societies' guidelines, and to determine complication rates and factors associated with patient feelings.

Between April and June 2017, we prospectively included all consecutive patients referred to 14 French hospitals for a transoesophageal echocardiogram (TOE). A survey was taken just after the examination, which included questions about pre-procedural anxiety, and any pain, unpleasant feeling or breathing difficulties experienced during the examination.

Overall, 1718 TOEs were performed, mainly for stroke evaluation. A standardized operating procedure checklist was completed in half of the patients before the examination. TOE was unpleasant for 62.4% of patients, but was stopped for agitation or intolerance in 3.5 and 1.4% of cases, respectively. We observed one severe complication (pulmonary oedema). The mean TOE duration was short (9.2±4.6minutes), but was longer with residents than with more experienced physicians (11±4.7 vs. 8.8±4.7minutes for junior physicians [P=0.0027]; vs. 8.9±4.8minutes for senior physicians [P=0.0013]; and vs. 7.5±4.1minutes for associate professors/professors [P<0.0001]). The visual analogue scale (VAS) score after TOE was good (8.3±1.7 out of 10), and was better in patients with general anaesthesia (GA) than in those without GA (9.3±0.9 vs. 8.1±1.7; P<0.0001). In patients without GA, the VAS score was similar with and without local anaesthesia (8.1±1.7 vs. 8.2±1.6; P=0.19). After multivariable adjustment, absence of anxiety before TOE and greater operator experience were consistently associated with a higher VAS score.

TOE is safe, with a low rate of complications and few stops for intolerance. A shorter TOE duration and better patient feelings were observed for experienced operators, highlighting the importance of the learning curve, and paving the way for teaching on a TOE simulator.