Transesophageal echocardiography : experience, indications and complications as an outpatient department procedure at Queen Alia Heart Institute

Abstract EN

Objective : To assess the safety and complications of outpatient transesophageal echocardiography procedures.

Methods : Between June 2010 and 2011,308 patients underwent outpatient transesophageal echocardiography.

All the examinations were performed under local anaesthesia in the out patient echocardiography laboratory.

The demographic data, indications and complications were recorded.

Results : Patient population consisted of 158 (51.3 %) females and 150 (48.7 %) males.

The mean age was 42 years (range 11 to 81 years).

Procedure failure was recorded in two patients due to inability to introduce the ultrasound probe.

The most common indication was native valve pathology (37.3 %) followed by atrial septal abnormalities (34 %), prosthetic valve pathology (6.4 %), infective endocarditis (6.1 %), congenital heart diseases (5.8 %), cardiac source of embolism (4.2 %), aortic dissection (3.6 %) and intracardiac masses (2.3 %).

Minor complications were recorded in two patients (1.3 %) but no major complications.

Most (92 %) of the procedures were considered useful and gave additional information that confirmed or excluded the prior study diagnosis.

Conclusion : Transesophageal echocardiography can be performed comprehensively and safely as an outpatient procedure and adds valuable clinical information.