title: Transesophageal echocardiography in hypotensive post-coronary bypass patients.
abstract: The utility of transesophageal echocardiography in the evaluation of hypotension in the postoperative period after coronary artery bypass was assessed in 126 patients in the intensive care unit. There were 86 men and 40 women, with a mean age of 58.3 years. The indication for transesophageal echocardiography was hypotension refractory to conventional treatment. Valuable diagnostic information was obtained in 103 patients (82%). Based on the echocardiographic findings, 24 patients (19%) underwent urgent surgical intervention. The mean time required to obtain a diagnosis was 9.6 +/- 2.8 min. No significant complications were noted. Our experience suggests that transesophageal echocardiography is highly specific in diagnosing the cause of postoperative hypotension, thus preventing unnecessary surgical intervention and facilitating decision making in cardiac surgical emergencies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre, Okhla Road, New Delhi 110 025, India.
authors.forename: Harpreet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wasir
authors.forename: Yatin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: Yugal K
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.forename: Sameer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shrivastava
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mittal
authors.forename: Naresh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Trehan
mesh_terms: D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000601:surgery; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012086:Reoperation