Evaluation of transesophageal echocardiography as a diagnostic and therapeutic aid in a critical care setting.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the impact of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) on therapeutic management in relation to pulmonary artery catheterization (PAC) in the ICU.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of 108 consecutive TEE video and related patient files during a 7-month period.


METHODS
A 33-bed medical and surgical ICU.


METHODS
All critically ill patients with or without PAC in whom a TEE was performed, excluding postoperative cardiac surgical patients. Patients were divided in a cardiac and a septic group depending on the primary disease on admission to the ICU. The impact of TEE in relation to PAC on ICU management was evaluated in whether therapy changes were performed strictly on the basis of the TEE findings.


RESULTS
Of 64% of patients with a PAC, 44% underwent therapy changes after TEE: 41% in the cardiac and 54% in the septic subgroup. In 41% of patients without a PAC, TEE led to a change in therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
TEE results in altered therapeutic management in at least one third of our (noncardiac surgery) ICU patient population independent of the presence of a PAC.
Poelaert
J I
JI
Department of Intensive Care, University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
Trouerbach
J
J
De Buyzere
M
M
Everaert
J
J
Colardyn
F A
FA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001530:Belgium; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002648:Child; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000628:therapy; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018746:Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical