title: Evaluation of density area in dorsal lung region during prone position using transesophageal echocardiography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the changes of density area in the dorsal lung regions of acute respiratory distress syndrome patients during prone position using transesophageal echocardiography.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective clinical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  General intensive care unit in a university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome who underwent prone position therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Density areas in the left dorsal lung region were observed using transesophageal echocardiography before and after patients were in the prone position for 2 hrs. In five patients, a pediatric transesophageal echocardiography probe was left in the esophagus and used for observation during the prone procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Changes of density area and PaO2/FiO2 were observed. The density areas decreased after prone position compared with those of preprone position (preprone 11.4 +/- 5.1 cm2, after prone 5.6 +/- 3.5 cm2, mean +/- sd, p <.01, respectively). There was also a significant correlation between the percentage change of density area and PaO2/FiO2 (r =.47, p <.05) after prone position. During prone position, the density area decreased; however, there was no correlation between the percent changes of density area and PaO2/FiO2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was possible to observe the change in density area during prone position using transesophageal echocardiography. The change of density area estimated with transesophageal echocardiography during prone position was useful to estimate the effectiveness of the procedure.
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, University of Hirosaki School of Medicine, Aomori-ken, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshihito
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsubo
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yatsu
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.forename: Hirobumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okawa
authors.forename: Hironori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishihara
authors.forename: Akitomo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsuki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods; D016638:Critical Illness; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011336:Probability; D016684:Prone Position; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity