经食管超声心动图评价人工心脏瓣膜的功能

本文利用经胸及经食管超声技术观察了51例人工瓣膜置换术后的瓣膜功能及反流程度,并比较了两种技术在评价人工瓣膜中的优缺点。结果表明:(1)经食管超声心动图(TEE)在观察左房及左心耳血栓,判定二尖瓣位人工机械瓣反流程度及鉴别反流与瓣周漏方面均优于经胸超声心动图(TTE)技术,(2)TEE在检出人工二尖瓣反流方面明显优于TTE,且TEE及TTE对人工二尖瓣反流的检出率分别为87.76%和14.29%,(3)TEE在检出主动瓣反流方面与TTE比较,无显著性差异(P>0.05),但可低估瓣膜反流程度。经食管超声技术是判定二尖瓣位人工瓣功能异常的敏感、可靠方法。     

超声心动图在经导管主动脉瓣置换-瓣中瓣手术治疗外科生物瓣衰败中的应用研究

目的：探讨经导管主动脉瓣置换-瓣中瓣（TAVR-VIV）手术治疗外科生物瓣衰败中超声心动图在术前、术中及术后的应用价值。方法：纳入2016年11月至2021年6月接受TAVR-VIV手术治疗的32例外科生物瓣衰败患者（天津市胸科医院15例,中国医学科学院阜外医院17例）,其中重度狭窄16例（50%）,重度反流5例（15.6%）,混合型（至少中度狭窄合并中度反流）11例（34.4%）。术前经胸超声心动图（TTE）测量主动脉瓣峰值流速（AVmax）、峰值跨瓣压差（PGmax）、平均跨瓣压差（PGmean）、有效瓣口面积（EOA）、左心室射血分数（LVEF）。术中经食道超声心动图（TEE）全程监测有无并发症,瓣膜置入后即刻评估瓣膜置入效果。对比术前、术后7 d、术后3个月血流动力学参数的变化。结果：32例患者均成功置入人工主动脉瓣,置入后即刻无或微量瓣周反流。术后7 d AVmax、PGmax、PGmean、EOA均较术前明显改善（P均<0.05）,术后7 d与术后3个月相比AVmax、PGmax、PGmean、EOA差异无统计学意义,LVEF增高（P<0.05）。随访过程中未发...     

经食管超声心动图引导Fustar~(TM)可调弯鞘封堵主动脉瓣瓣周漏手术经验总结

目的:总结在经食管超声心动图(TEE)引导下,采用Fustar~(TM)可调弯鞘建立路径,非X线照射下封堵主动脉瓣瓣周漏的经验和体会。方法:于2017年1月至12月,入选心脏瓣膜置换手术后并发瓣周漏、反复心力衰竭患者2例,均经超声心动图确认无误。其中,主动脉瓣、主动脉瓣和二尖瓣机械瓣置换术后各1例。取胸骨右缘第2肋间4 cm切口入路,经升主动脉部,穿刺置入Fustar~(TM)可调弯鞘入主动脉内,在TEE引导下,调整弯鞘头端经瓣周漏入左心室,经弯鞘置入封堵器完成瓣周漏封堵。结果:2例均封堵成功,无残余反流,无卡瓣或瓣膜损伤,无严重心律失常、无封堵器脱落等并发症。手术时间55～70 min,心内操作15～25 min,术中出血量小于100 ml,NYHA心功能分级均为Ⅰ级,左心室内径较前明显缩小。结论:在TEE引导下,采用Fustar~(TM)可调弯鞘协助建立路径,封堵器封堵瓣周漏安全、有效。Fustar~(TM)可调弯鞘在TEE下显影清晰,经胸骨旁途经操作更加可控,减少手术操作时间,减少并发症,避免X线照射。     

TTE评估TAVR术后人工瓣膜血栓风险的临床价值

目的:分析经胸超声心动图(TTE)评估导管主动脉瓣置换术(TAVR)术后人工瓣膜血栓风险的临床价值。方法:选取2018年3月—2021年3月在我院行TAVR治疗的病人83例。参照心血管CT协会专家共识,根据冠状位低回声增厚自瓣叶附着处向瓣尖部位累计的程度及范围,将人工3个瓣叶血栓负荷分别定量评分,根据负荷评分分组,低分组(0～4分)、中分组(5～8分)、高分组(9～12分)。比较病人术前、出院前、术后3个月TTE参数。根据随访结果,以CT评估作为是否存在血栓标准,比较不同人群TTE参数。通过一致性Kappa分析,检验TTE对TAVR术后人工瓣膜血栓评估与CT检查的一致性。结果:出院前、术后3个月平均跨瓣压差(MPG)、主动脉瓣峰值流速(Vmax)、峰值跨瓣压差(PPG)、左室射血分数(LVEF)均低于术前,连续方程计算有效瓣口面积(AVA)、左室舒张末期内径(LVEDD)高于术前(P<0.05);术后3个月LVEF高于出院前(P<0.05)。整理随访资料可知,CT检查无血栓组46例,有血栓组37例,其中低分组15例,中分组10例,高分组125例。有血栓组AVA低于无血栓组(...     

经导管主动脉瓣置换术治疗白塞病合并重度主动脉瓣反流一例

目前,白塞病合并重度主动脉瓣反流的主要治疗方式为外科主动脉瓣置换术,但术后瓣周漏、瓣膜撕脱等严重并发症的发生率高。该文报道1例合并白塞病的重度主动脉瓣反流患者,接受经导管主动脉瓣置换术治疗后症状改善明显。随访2年,超声心动图提示人工瓣膜流速、跨瓣压差处于正常范围,无明显瓣周漏;心脏增强CT扫描未见瓣叶增厚、撕脱情况,短期临床效果满意。     

经皮球囊二尖瓣成形术的远期疗效

目的 观察经皮球囊三尖瓣成形术近期及远期疗效.方法 自1992年4月至2008年11月采用Inoue单球囊法对1768例风湿性心脏病二尖瓣狭窄患者行经皮球囊二尖瓣成形术(PBMV)治疗.对其中自1992年4月至1998年8月426例术后10年患者进行随访.球囊扩张前后均采用同步记录左心房和左心室压力,计算二尖瓣跨瓣压差.术前、术后及随访中均采用超声心动图检查和临床心功能评价.结果 1748例完成PBMV治疗,成功率为98.86%.左心房平均压由术前(38±7)mm Hg(1 mm Hg=0.133 kPa)下降至(12±4)mm Hg(P<0.001),二尖瓣平均跨瓣压差由术前(28±6)mm Hg下降至(8±3)mm Hg(P<0.001),二尖瓣口面积由术前(0.98±0.26)cm~2增加至(1.97±0.39)cm~2(P<0.001).主要并发症为死亡2例,急性心包填塞1例,肺水肿1例,重度二尖瓣反流12例,脑栓塞2例.426例PBMV术后10年随访,心功能仍然维持在纽约心功能Ⅰ～Ⅱ级而未冉进行PBMV或换瓣术者288例(67.6%),冉狭窄140例(33.3%),死亡31例(7.5%).结论 PBMV是治疗风湿性心脏病二尖瓣狭窄的有效方法 .     

球扩式瓣膜Prizvalve®经导管主动脉瓣膜系统治疗重度主动脉瓣狭窄的初步研究

目的初步评价Prizvalve^?经导管主动脉瓣膜系统治疗重度主动脉瓣狭窄的安全性及可行性。方法本研究为单中心前瞻性的单组观察性研究,入选2021年3至5月于四川大学华西医院住院的外科手术高风险或不适合常规外科手术的11例重度主动脉瓣狭窄患者,经评估后使用Prizvalve^?经导管主动脉瓣膜系统行经导管主动脉瓣植入术。人工瓣膜植入后立即通过经胸超声心动图测量主动脉瓣平均跨瓣压差和峰值流速,计算即刻器械成功率。即刻器械成功定义为:(1)器械成功进入血管入路、被输送、释放和植入,输送系统成功撤出体外;(2)植入瓣膜达到预期的疗效,即手术结束时超声心动图测量主动脉瓣平均跨瓣压差<20 mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa)或主动脉瓣最大流速<3 m/s,且无严重的人工主动脉瓣反流或瓣周漏。术后30 d复查经胸超声心动图,随访术后30 d内全因死亡及严重心脑血管不良事件(包括急性心肌梗死、致残性出血性或缺血性卒中)的发生情况。结果本研究共纳入11例重度主动脉瓣狭窄患者,年龄(78.1±6.3)岁,其中男性8例,纽约心脏病协会(NYHA)心功能Ⅲ、Ⅳ级患者10例。11例患者均成功完成器械的输送、释放和植入,输送系统成功撤出体外。术后即刻主动脉瓣平均跨瓣压差为(7.55±4.08)mmHg,峰值流速为(1.78±0.44)m/s,与术前相比平均跨瓣压差以及峰值流速均下降(P均<0.05)。无严重的人工主动脉瓣反流或瓣周漏,11例(11/11)患者均达到即刻器械成功。术后30 d,11例患者中无死亡及严重心脑血管不良事件发生。主动脉瓣平均压差为(9.45±5.07)mmHg,峰值流速为(2.05±0.42)m/s,均维持在较为理想的水平,与术后即刻相比差异均无统计学意义(P均>0.05)。结论本研究初步表明,对于中国人群中传统手术高风险或不适合常规外科手术,且为传统内科治疗无法逆转的重度主动脉瓣狭窄患者,使用Prizvalve^?经导管主动脉瓣膜系统行经导管主动脉瓣植入术是一种可行的、相对安全的方法,可进一步开展第2阶段的临床研究。     

二尖瓣成形术在二尖瓣反流治疗中的疗效评价

目的探讨二尖瓣成形术在二尖瓣反流治疗中的疗效。方法选取2011年1月至2014年7月在成都市第三人民医院行二尖瓣成形术的二尖瓣反流患者42例。手术方式包括人工瓣环置入,瓣叶部分切除,腱索修复、转移,人工腱索置入,缘对缘缝合技术等。术中左心室注水试验及经食道超声心动图检查评估即时效果,术后超声心动图随访二尖瓣反流、左心大小及左心室功能。结果 42例成功行二尖瓣成形术患者中1例围术期死亡。术后1个月、1年与术前相比,左心房内径(LAD)、左心室舒张末期内径(LVEDD)、左心室收缩末期内径(LVESD)均差异有统计学意义(P0.05);左心室射血分数(LVEF)在术后1个月变化不明显,但在术后1年监测中比术前增高,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。二尖瓣无明显反流33例,微量反流5例,轻度反流3例。结论二尖瓣成形术是治疗二尖瓣反流的可靠方法 ,改善了左心结构重构及功能。     

超声心动图诊断成人先天性左房室瓣穿孔的价值

目的 探讨超声心动图[经胸超声(TTE),或经食管超声(TEE)]诊断先天性左房室瓣穿孔价值.方法 对3例经TTE或TEE诊断的成人先天性左房室瓣穿孔患者的超声心动图诊断资料进行分析,将超声结果与手术结果进行对照.结果 3例成人先天性左房室瓣叶穿孔所致的左房室瓣关闭不全病例,由于本组的发病年龄,临床上需要与先天性心脏瓣膜病(风湿性及其他)鉴别,临床及超声发现其他先心病的证据,尤其是TTE或TEE二维超声显示瓣叶中断,及彩色多普勒血流显像显示瓣膜偏心性高速血流,且临床上可以排除感染性心内膜炎,皆有助于先天性左房室瓣穿孔诊断.结论 TTE和TEE检查是早期诊断先天性左房室瓣穿孔的首选方法.TEE检出先天性左房室瓣穿孔优于TTE.     

介入封堵治疗室间隔缺损合并轻中度右冠状瓣脱垂的疗效观察

目的评价介入封堵治疗室间隔缺损(VSD)合并轻、中度右冠状瓣脱垂的有效性及安全性。方法选择2015年5月至2018年4月湖南省儿童医院收治的VSD患儿作为研究对象,术前经胸超声心动图(TTE)和(或)经食管超声心动图(TEE)诊断VSD合并轻、中度右冠状瓣脱垂,采用经导管介入封堵治疗75例(男40例,女35例)。术中通过造影及TTE检查有无残余分流、新发主动脉瓣反流或原有主动脉瓣反流加重,体表心电图评估介入封堵后是否影响传导系统。术后通过TTE和体表心电图对患儿进行随访,重点观察主动脉瓣反流程度和有无心脏传导阻滞。结果 75例患儿平均年龄(51.8±34.6)个月,平均体重(16.7±7.3)kg;嵴内型VSD 31例,膜周型VSD 44例;右冠状瓣脱垂轻度53例,中度22例。其中术前三尖瓣轻度反流3例,主动脉瓣轻度反流1例;应用对称型VSD封堵器24例,偏心型VSD封堵器30例,ADOⅡ封堵器21例。术后三尖瓣反流3例(同术前),主动脉瓣轻度反流7例(其中1例同术前),残余漏4例(术后6个月消失),室性早搏1例,三度房室传导阻滞1例(外科取伞并修补VSD后恢复窦性心律),封堵器脱落1例(紧急外科取伞并修补VSD),无左束支传导阻滞、机械性溶血发生。不同程度右冠状瓣脱垂VSD封堵术后主动脉瓣反流比较,差异有统计学意义(P=0.002);不同类型VSD封堵术后主动脉瓣反流比较,差异无统计学意义(P0.999)。嵴内型VSD与膜周型VSD患儿手术时间[(15.00±12.66)min比(19.68±13.48)min,P=0.028]、辐射剂量[(93.97±51.45)m Gy比(123.93±58.85)m Gy,P=0.005]比较,差异均有统计学意义。术前与术后6个月左心室舒张末期内径[(31.20±3.59)mm比(27.45±2.96)mm,P=0.096]、左心室收缩末期内径[(19.60±2.22)mm比(16.71±1.87)mm,P=0.098]比较,差异均无统计学意义;而左心室射血分数[(63.85±4.77)%比(66.37±3.05)%,P=0.010]比较,差异有统计学意义。结论通过介入封堵治疗合并轻、中度右冠状瓣脱垂VSD是可行的,但仍需长期随访评价其远期疗效,及更大样本量评估术后效果。     

Thrombosis and endocarditis in prosthetic heart valves, a case report.

The authors report the case of a 49-year-old female with a history of rheumatic valvular heart disease who underwent valve surgery in 1997, with implantation of St. Jude prosthetic valves in aortic and mitral position. She was asymptomatic until the end of July 2001, when she was admitted to Garcia de Orta Hospital emergency unit because of heart failure, fever and suspicion of endocarditis. Cardiologic evaluation was requested and the transthoracic (TTE) and transesophageal (TEE) echocardiograms revealed vegetations on the prosthetic mitral valve. Blood cultures were negative. She started empiric antibiotic therapy and the clinical course stabilized in the first week. After ten days of medical therapy her symptoms became worse and TTE and TEE were repeated. TTE showed significant left ventricular-aortic gradient, suggesting aortic valve obstruction. Decreased left ventricular function was now present with hypokinesia in the anterior descending coronary artery territory. In the TEE, a large thrombotic process on the mitral prosthesis valve was seen, with a prosthesis disk blocked. There were similar findings in the aortic valve. Cardiac fluoroscopic images were obtained at the mitral and aortic position confirming the TEE report. The coronary angiogram was normal. Promptly transferred to a cardiac surgery center, the patient underwent aortic and mitral prosthetic valve replacement. The intraoperative findings were compatible with those from echocardiography and cardiac fluoroscopy.     

Role of transesophageal echocardiography in percutaneous aortic valve replacement with the CoreValve Revalving system

Percutaneous aortic valve replacement (PAVR) is an emerging therapy for nonsurgical patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS). We examined the role of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in PAVR. TEE was used initially to assess the native valve and aortic root, and served as a guide during PAVR. Following prosthetic valve deployment, TEE was used to assess valve function. Eleven patients aged 82 +/- 10 years with NYHA III-IV underwent PAVR. Periprocedural TEE gave immediate information on prosthetic position and function, LV function, mitral regurgitation, pericardium, and thoracic aorta anatomy. There was excellent visual agreement between fluoroscopic and TEE images of prosthetic positioning and deployment. TEE facilitated the detection and management of procedure-related complications. Compared with pre-PAVR, AV area (0.56 +/- 0.19 cm(2) vs. 1.3 +/- 0.4 cm(2); P < 0.001) and LVEF (49 +/- 17% vs. 56 +/- 11%; P < 0.001) increased. TEE provides key anatomical and functional information, and serves as a diagnostic guide for complications, which may arise during PAVR.     

Diagnosis of prosthetic heart valve thrombosis. The respective values of transthoracic and transoesophageal Doppler echocardiography

Early diagnosis of acute prosthetic thrombosis remains a challenge,in 20 patients with 23 thrombosed cardiac valves, we evaluatedthe respective value of transthoracic (TTE) and transoesophageal(TEE) Doppler echocardiography. According to the presence orabsence of prosthetic obstruction by continuous-wave Doppler,prostheses were separated into two groups. Group 1 included nine thrombosed prostheses (8 mitral, 1 aortic)with severe obstruction. All patients presented with severesymptoms of heart failure. Transthoracic Doppler echocardiographyallowed immediate diagnosis of prosthetic thrombosis, even incritically ill patients, showing (1) eccentric transprostheticcolour flow jets in all eight mitral prostheses, (2) severeobstruction on Doppler examination (mean gradient = 18 to 36mmHg in eight mitral prostheses, and 69 mmHg in one aortic valve),and (3) direct echocardiographic evidence of thrombosis (i.e.thrombus or abnormal disc or leaflet motion) in four patients.All nine patients were immediately treated by surgery (n=8)or fibrinolysis (n =1) on the basis of TTE results only. TEEallowed better visualization of thrombus and restricted leafletor disc motion, but had little influence on patient management. Group 2 included 14 thrombosed prostheses (10 mitral, 4 aortic)with mild or absent obstruction, in three patients with massivemitral prosthetic thrombosis, an associated minimal thrombosisof a prosthetic aortic valve was found at surgery, but was detectedneither by TTE, nor by TEE. The 11 remaining patients presentedwith isolated partial mitral (n = 10) or aortic (n = 1) thrombosis.Clinical presentation was fever, cerebral embolism, or milddyspnoea, but no heart failure. TTE was normal in all. Continuous-waveDoppler showed normal prosthetic function in five patients andmild obstruction in six. TEE allowed diagnosis of prostheticthrombosis in all, showing an abnormal mobile echo around theprosthesis, despite normal disc or leaflet motion. In conclusion, transthoracic Doppler echocardiography is thediagnostic procedure of choice in patients with severely obstructiveprosthetic thrombosis, while the transoesophageal approach appearspromising in partial thrombosis with mild or absent obstruction.     

Comparison of transthoracic and intraoperative transesophageal color flow Doppler assessment of mitral and aortic regurgitation

BACKGROUND: We examined the agreement between transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and intraoperative prepump transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in the assessment of left-sided regurgitant lesions and echocardiographic variables associated with grading discrepancies. METHODS: The TTE and prepump TEE studies of 54 patients undergoing aortic-valve replacement for aortic stenosis were reviewed. Agreement and correlation in assessment of aortic (AR) and mitral regurgitation (MR) severity were evaluated. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between mean TTE and prepump TEE grading of MR (0.23 +/- 0.19 vs. 0.21 +/- 0.15 jet area/area of the left atrium, p = 0.49), but the correlation between the two methods was weak (r = 0.40, p = 0.003), with an exact agreement of 54%. Prepump TEE tended to grade AR as more severe (mean grade 1.43 +/- 0.94 vs. 1.24 +/- 0.75, p = 0.058). The correlation between the two methods in AR assessment was fair (r = 0.70, p = 0.0001) with an agreement of 59%. For MR and AR grading, no significant correlations between valvular regurgitation severity and blood pressure differences between preoperative TTE and prepump TEE were found. In 17% of cases, discrepancies in identifying severe mitral or aortic valve regurgitation could have affected patient management. CONCLUSIONS: There is modest agreement in MR and AR assessment between TTE and prepump TEE. Cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, and anesthesiologists must be aware of differences between these methods when using prepump TEE to guide intraoperative decisions.     

A rare complication of mechanical aortic valve replacement: Separation in the region of the mitral‐aortic intervalvular fibrosa

A 28‐year‐old man was admitted to our emergency service with a shortness of breath and palpitation. On admission, his blood pressure was high and he was in hypertensive pulmonary edema. His physical examination showed rales in both lungs and pansystolic murmur at mitral focus. His medical history included aortic valve replacement (AVR) because of native aortic valve infective endocarditis. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) showed normal functional aortic valve. Color flow imaging demonstrated severe mitral regurgitation with posterior eccentric jet. To examine in detail, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and three‐dimensional (3D) echocardiography were performed. TEE disclosed a separation in the subaortic curtain leading to severe mitral regurgitation from the left ventricle to the left atrium. In addition to severe mitral regurgitation with posterior eccentric jet, 26‐mm‐long pouch was seen in mitral‐aortic intervalvular fibrosa (MAIVF) at 120° TEE view. This pouch was separated from the mitral anterior leaflet junction releasing the mitral anterior leaflet and causing prolapse and chorda rupture in the A2 scallop of the mitral anterior leaflet. The MAIVF connects the anterior mitral leaflet to the posterior portion of the aortic annulus. The separation of the MAIVF represents a complication of the aortic valve replacement.     

Comparison of the diagnostic power of transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography to detect ruptured chordae tendineae

Preoperative information concerning the severity and etiology of MR is very important for selecting the most appropriate surgical strategy. Ruptured chordae tendineae (RCT) are one of the most important preoperative findings. We compared the diagnostic power of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) to detect RCT in patients with MR. We studied 61 patients with MR (30 men, 31 women; mean age, 61 ± 12 years) who underwent mitral valve repair or replacement. Both TTE and TEE were performed before the operations, and the sensitivity and specificity of TTE and TEE to detect RCT were determined. In addition, other factors that influenced the detection of RCT by these two methods were investigated. At the time of an operation, RCT was confirmed in 39 of 61 cases. Transesophageal echocardiography had a higher sensitivity than TTE (74% versus 44%; P = 0.006) to detect RCT, although the specificity was not significantly different. In patients with a body mass index (BMI) > 22 (P = 0.023) or MR grade 4 (P = 0.026), TEE had a significantly higher diagnostic sensitivity than TTE, although there was no significant difference in patients with BMI < 22 or MR grade ≤ 3. In the lateral and medial segments of the mitral valve, TEE had a significantly higher diagnostic sensitivity to detect RCT than TTE (P = 0.0012), although there was no significant difference in the middle segments. There was no significant difference between TTE and TEE with respect to the sensitivity to detect RCT in myxomatous mitral valves. Although the sensitivity of TEE was higher than that of TTE to detect RCT, it was affected by BMI, MR grade, the RCT-presenting segments, and the etiology of MR.     

Feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of quantitative assessment of mechanical prostheses leaflet motion by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography in suspected prosthetic valve dysfunction

Transthoracic (TTE) and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) are the standard techniques for the evaluation of prosthetic valve function. However, quantitative evaluation of leaflet(s) motion is not routinally carried out, although leaflet(s) opening and closing angle measurements are important information to recognize prosthetic dysfunction. For this purpose, cinefluoroscopy is considered the "gold standard" technique. The aim of this study was the evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of TTE and TEE in the quantitative assessment of leaflet motion in patients with mechanical protheses. One hundred-eleven patients with mitral (single disk 18; bileaflet 48) and aortic (single disk 22; bileaflet 23) prostheses, were referred to TTE, TEE, and cinefluoroscopy for electrical cardioversion of atrial fibrillation (n = 40) or suspected prosthesis dysfunction (n = 71). Echocardiographic evaluation included leaflet(s) opening and closing angle measurements; results were compared with cinefluoroscopy. For mitral prostheses, opening and closing angles were correctly identified by TTE in 85% and by TEE in 100% of patients, regardless of prosthetic valve type, with a good concordance with cinefluoroscopy. For aortic prostheses, opening angles were correctly identified by TTE and TEE, respectively, in 40% and 77% of patients with single-disk and in 13% and 35% of patients with bileaflet prostheses. Both TTE and TEE were rarely able to identify closing angles. In conclusion, quantitative evaluation of mitral leaflet(s) motion may be accurately achieved with TTE and TEE, leading to increased diagnostic efficacy of prosthetic valve dysfunction. In the aortic position, TTE and TEE allow a quantitative evaluation of leaflet(s) dynamics only in a minority of patients and cinefluoroscopy still remains the first-choice technique.     

The clinical role of transoesophageal echocardiography

The role of transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was evaluated in a consecutive series of 100 procedures performed in 86 patients (age 17–81, mean 56 years). All patients had prior transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). TEE was performed with a 5 MHz phased array transoesophageal transducer with pulsed wave Doppler and colour flow mapping capability. Forty-four per cent of patients received intravenous sedation and 36% received antibiotic prophylaxis. There were no complications of TEE. The TTE and TEE findings were compared. In patients referred for possible cardiac source of embolism, left atrial thrombi were detected in 8/27 TEE studies but in none of 27 TTE studies. In 12 patients with prosthetic valve dysfunction TEE distinguished prosthetic from periprosthetic regurgitation in 9/12 studies compared to 3/12 with TTE. In 11 patients with suspected aortic dissection TEE correctly detected dissection in all seven cases in which the diagnosis was subsequently confirmed, whereas TTE showed only equivocal findings in two cases. Vegetations were detected by TEE in 4/5 studies in patients with proven native valve endocarditis and by TTEin 2/5. No vegetations were detected by TTE or TEE in five studies in patients with proven prosthetic valve endocarditis. Compared with other investigations there were no false positive TEE studies and one possible false negative study. We conclude that TEE is a safeprocedure which often provides additional clinical information to transthoracic echocardiography.     

Clinical utility of transoesophageal echocardiography--preliminary experience of 100 cases.

We performed transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and compared its results with transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) studies in a consecutive series of 100 cases. TEE was performed with a 5 MHz transducer with pulsed wave, continuous wave and colour Doppler facilities. All the patients were in unsedated state; the initial 50 were, in addition, monitored noninvasively for any change in heart rate, blood pressure or arterial oxygen saturation. The procedure was well tolerated by all; one patient had transient ventricular bigeminy. Except increase in heart rate and systolic blood pressure at the time of insertion of probe, there was no change in any of the clinical parameters studied. In patients of mitral stenosis, a thrombus in left atrium (LA) or left atrial appendage (LAA) was seen in 7/52 TEE studies, as compared to 4/52 TTE studies. LAA thrombi (2 cases) were detected only on TEE. Following balloon mitral valvuloplasty, a small atrial septal defect was seen in 6/8 TEE, but only 2/8 TTE studies. In 20 cases with doubtful atrial septal defects on TTE, TEE revealed an intact septum in 6 and delineated the anatomy of the defect in the remaining 14. TEE facilitated detection and better visualisation of paravalvular regurgitation in 4 cases with mitral and 3 cases with aortic valve prosthesis. In addition, TEE helped in excluding vegetations in 3 suspected cases of infective endocarditis and in studying details of 2 intracardiac masses. We conclude, TEE can be safely performed in conscious unsedated patients and provides valuable information in addition to transthoracic echocardiography.     

食管超声心动图在重危心脏病人诊断治疗中的价值

目的　为评价食管超声心动图 (TEE)在重危心脏病人诊断治疗中的价值 ,对 3 7例收住监护病房的重症心血管病人进行了经胸超声心动图 (TTE)和TEE检查 ,其中男 2 5例 ,女 1 2例 ,平均年龄57( 1 9～ 85)岁。入选对象包括怀疑夹层动脉瘤 2 3例、心脏瓣膜功能异常 9例、感染性心内膜炎 3例 ,心内分流 2例。结果　所有病人均可耐受TEE检查 ,无并发症发生 ,TEE较TTE可提供更高的阳性诊断结果 ,阳性率分别为 65 0 %和 3 8 0 % ,在怀疑夹层动脉瘤者中 ,TEE检出夹层撕裂膜 1 4例 ;而TTE仅检出 7例 ,且图象欠清 ,检出部位有限。在 4例人工机械瓣膜功能异常者中 ,TEE发现瓣膜部位血栓形成 3例。结论　在对心脏大血管疾病的诊断中 ,TEE阳性诊断率高于TTE ,尤其在怀疑夹层动脉瘤及人工机械瓣膜病变时 ,应行TEE检查。即使在重危病人 ,TEE也是一种安全有效的诊断手段。