Fatal ventricular arrhythmia as a complication of transesophageal echocardiography.
OBJECTIVE
To report a case of serious ventricular arrhythmia during transesophageal echocardiography.


RESULTS
A 58-year-old woman with previous mitral and tricuspid valve replacement and permanent pacemaker implantation suffered from recurrent fever and Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia. Transesophageal echocardiography was performed as part of the assessment for infective endocarditis. During this procedure the patient developed sustained ventricular tachycardia and subsequently ventricular flutter. She was successfully resuscitated. Subsequently the procedure was undertaken under general anesthesia with no complications.


CONCLUSIONS
The increasing use of TEE in a wider spectrum of patients, many of whom are seriously ill, may result in serious side-effects.
Goland
Sorel
S
Heart Institute, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
Shimoni
Sara
S
Attali
Malka
M
Somin
Marina
M
Azoulai
Orly
O
Caspi
Avraham
A
Malnick
Stephen D H
SD
D000768:Anesthesia, General; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology*; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012151:Resuscitation; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy