title: Intracardiac echocardiography using the AcuNav ultrasound catheter during percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty.
abstract: During the past 10 years, there has been a trend toward and an interest in the use of catheter-based interventions to perform procedures that were once only approached surgically. The problem with the catheter-based approach has been procedure-related complications. Improved imaging of cardiac structures while undertaking interventional procedures may help to prevent or allow for early identification of these complications. Transesophageal echocardiography has been used during catheter-based procedures as a guide, and has both advantages and disadvantages. Intracardiac echocardiography is a relatively new imaging technique that also provides an enhanced view of cardiac structures and may also allow for the safe and efficient performance of catheter-based procedures. We report the first case of successful percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty done under ultrasound guidance using an intracardiac echocardiography catheter (10F, 5-10 MHz) (Acunav). The strengths and weaknesses of this approach are described and compared with transesophageal echocardiography and older intracardiac echocardiography devices.
authors.affiliation: North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, New York 11030, USA.
authors.forename: Mohamed I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Salem
authors.forename: Amgad N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Makaryus
authors.forename: Smadar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kort
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marchant
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mangion
mesh_terms: D002404:Catheterization; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000295:instrumentation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy*; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000295:instrumentation*