The Mitral Valve
The mitral valve (MV) is ideally suited to examination with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) because it lies close to the esophagus and is separated from the transducer by the blood-filled left…
The Right Ventricle, Tricuspid Valve, and Pulmonary Valve
The importance of the right ventricle as a cause of perioperative morbidity is being increasingly recognized. Right ventricular (RV) failure is responsible for approximately one fifth of cases of circulatory…
Hemodynamic Instability in the Operating Room and the Intensive Care Unit
Hemodynamic instability encompasses hypotension, low or (pathologically) high cardiac output, and abnormal filling pressures. Assessing hemodynamic instability is one of the most important indications for echocardiography in the operating room…
The Thoracic Aorta
The examination of the thoracic aorta is an essential component of both routine and emergent echocardiographic examinations. The aorta and its major branches can be visualized with echocardiography using a…
The Aortic Valve and Left Ventricular Outflow Tract
The aortic valve (AV), left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT), and aortic root are positioned in the center of the heart close to the midesophagus and are separated from it by…
Aspects of Quantitative and Semiquantitative Echocardiography
The aim in this chapter is to explain the theory underlying some quantitative and semiquantitative methods used in perioperative TEE to estimate cardiac output, to evaluate the orifice size in…
Updated Practice Guidelines for Perioperative TEE
In 1996, the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the SCA published practice guidelines for perioperative TEE. Updated guidelines were published in 2010. For the updated 2010 practice guidelines, information was…
Cleaning and Care of the Probe
Appropriate care of TTE probes is essential to prolonging the life of the equipment and maintaining patient safety. For each type of probe, the manufacturer’s specific recommendations regarding cleaning, disinfection,…
Normal Values
Values provided below are from a range of sources. Wherever possible 2-D TEE values are given. In situations where these values are not available, or are poorly documented, transthoracic echocardiography…
Image Planes and Standard Views
To maximize the diagnostic yield from transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), it is important to have an understanding of standard imaging views and important anatomic–echocardiographic relationships. Echocardiography is most commonly a two-dimensional…
