Routine Performance of Intraoperative Transoesophageal Echocardiography in Children with Congenital Heart Disease: 1546 Cases in One Center

  • Dr Guo-ying Huang, Pediatric Heart Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
  • Dr Xiao-jing Ma, Pediatric Heart Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
  • Dr Xue-cun Liang, Pediatric Heart Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
  • Dr Xiao-qin Liu, Pediatric Heart Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
  • Dr Bing Jia, Pediatric Heart Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
  • Dr Zhang-gen Chen, Pediatric Heart Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China

    • [Abstract]
    Objective: To evaluate the value of routine intraoperative transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in children with congenital heart disease (CHD). Methods: In recent 5 years, intraoperative TEE was performed in 1546 cases of CHD aged (3.5±2.6) years old in our pediatric heart center. The cases with weight < 4 kg were excluded for the reason of safety. TEE was performed both before and after cardiopulmonary bypass in each case. Results: (1) Preoperative TEE added additional findings or changed the diagnoses made by transthoracic echocardiography in 123 cases (8.0%), among which the findings had therapeutic significance in 93 cases (6.0%) that altered the planned surgical procedures. (2) Residual problems or sequels were detected by postoperative TEE in 270 cases (17.5%), with 57 patients (3.7%) requiring instant intervention or return to bypass for modifications of the surgical procedures. (3) We encountered no severe complications due to the performance of TEE. Mild complications occurred in only 3 patients (0.2%). Conclusions: TEE is a useful and safe imaging tool with which to determine the strategies for treatment in the perioperative period, and to improve the quality of surgical procedures in children with CHD.

    [Keywords]
    transesophageal echocardiography (TEE);
    congenital heart disease (CHD)