Traumatic or septic aortic regurgitation: diagnosis by oesophageal echocardiography.
Severe aortic regurgitation was discovered in a young man 21 days after blunt chest trauma and after a prolonged febrile state with positive blood cultures. Using transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE), it was possible to make the differential diagnosis between traumatic rupture and endocarditis as the cause of valvular insufficiency. The use of TEE in the initial evaluation of severe thoracic trauma with an unclear clinical picture is recommended. This method is easy to use at the bedside and gives precise information on the aortic valve and the ascending aorta.
Department of Anaesthesia, University Hospital of Geneva, Switzerland.
W N
WN
Habre
E F
EF
van Gessel
C
C
Mamie
R
R
Cantieni
P M
PM
Suter
D000328:Adult; D000783:Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D016122:Brachiocephalic Trunk / Q000293:injuries; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009104:Multiple Trauma; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*