title: Ventriculoatrial shunt distal catheter placement using transesophageal echocardiography: technical note.
abstract: Accurate placement of the distal end of a ventriculoatrial shunt at the cavo-atrial junction is important for long-term shunt function as well as for avoiding cardiac arrhythmias, thrombus formation, and damage to myocardial tissue. Standard methods of intraoperative localization, including chest x-ray, pressure measurements, and electrocardiogram recording, can be inaccurate. By using intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography, the distal end of the catheter can be localized to the cavo-atrial junction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: McGrail
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Muzzi
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Losasso
authors.forename: F B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Meyer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002557:Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts / Q000379:methods*; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*; D004724:Endoscopy; D006325:Heart Atria; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male