Focused Transesophageal Echocardiography for Bedside Diagnosis of Iatrogenic Cardiac Perforation: A Case Report

We describe an extremely rare complication of chest tube placement and focused transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in the diagnosis of a life-threatening condition. It illustrates the value and utility of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) by way of a focused TEE in confirming a diagnosis and contributing toward the expeditious operative management of a life-threatening scenario. POCUS continues to gain traction in the field of anesthesiology. However, incorporation of POCUS training into curriculum of anesthesia residency programs is still in the infancy stages. Our report demonstrates the need for development and standardization of POCUS training for anesthesiologists in the perioperative setting.