[Transesophageal echocardiography in adults with congenital heart defects]

The authors give an account of their experience with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in 61 adult patients with congenital heart disease. The main indications for examination in this group of patients were: confirmation of an atrial septal defect, unsatisfactory visualization, in particular in complex defects, evaluation of the results of surgical correction, detailed valvular morphology, in particular of the mitral and aortic valve, search for the source of embolization, suspected aneurysm of the aorta. A high diagnostic yield of TEE was obtained in: defects of the atrial septum, or other pathological conditions affecting the atrium, defects of the atrioventricular septum (AV), pathology of the AV valves, in particular the mitral one, pathology of the aortic valve and the efflux tract of the left ventricle, aortic arch and its descendent part, transposition of the large arteries or other complex defects, incl. conditions following surgical correction. A small diagnostic contribution of TEE was obtained when visualizing defects of the ventricular septum, pulmonary valves and the efflux tract of the right ventricle and the distal portions of the ascendant aorta.