The Limitations of Using Transthoracic Echocardiographic –Derived Normative Values for Grading Intraoperative Transesophageal Echocardiography Examinations of the Right Ventricle: Are They Really Interchangeable?

TRANSESOPHAGEAL echocardiography (TEE) is an indispensable tool for patients undergoing cardiac surgical procedures and for high-risk cases during noncardiac surgery.1 High-resolution imaging of the cardiac chambers enables assessment of cardiac function and guides management of dysfunction. Quantitative assessment and assignment of dysfunction largely rely on guidelines derived from transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) studies on the awake patient.2,3 Normal and abnormal function are better defined for the left side of the heart than they are for the right side of the heart; however, more recent associations between right-sided heart function and hemodynamic stability and outcome have prompted interest in establishing guidelines to better define right-sided heart function.
Source: Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia - Category: Anesthesiology Authors: Tags: Editorial Source Type: research