title: Epicardial echocardiography: diagnostic utility for evaluating aortic valve disease during coronary surgery.
abstract: Intraoperative epicardial echocardiography is commonly used to evaluate the ascending aorta for atheromatous disease before cannulation and cross clamping. In addition, it may serve as a cardiac imaging technique in patients where placement of a transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) probe is contraindicated, probe advancement is difficult, or a TEE probe is not available. We report a patient who was taken to the OR for coronary artery bypass grafting. Intraoperative TEE was planned to evaluate aortic valve function. However, attempts to place a TEE probe were abandoned due to high resistance on probe insertion. Epicardial echocardiography revealed previously undiagnosed aortic valve disease resulting in replacement of this valve.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Vlad E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Frenk
authors.forename: Stanton K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Shernan
authors.forename: Holger K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Eltzschig
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests