title: Clinical features of complications from transesophageal echocardiography: a single-center case series of 10,000 consecutive examinations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is an essential diagnostic tool that has gained widespread use in clinical cardiology. It is considered reasonably noninvasive and safe; however, insertion and operation of the TEE probe may cause hypopharyngeal, esophageal, or gastric trauma. The current study reports a single-center experience of esophagogastric trauma in 10,000 consecutive TEE examinations.
  
  
  METHODS
  TEE examinations were performed by 9 attending physicians who were trained in endoscopic procedures and had been performing TEE studies for at least 1 year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One case of hypopharyngeal perforation (0.01%), 2 cases of cervical esophageal perforation (0.02%), and no cases of gastric perforation (0%) occurred after TEE examination. No fatalities (0%) occurred. We describe the clinical characteristics of individuals who experienced esophageal perforation during this 10-year period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This single-center study demonstrates that TEE examinations are associated with a very low risk of esophagogastric trauma when performed in a safe setting by experienced operators.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Hospitals, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.
authors.forename: James K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Kirk T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Spencer
authors.forename: Kathy T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Furlong
authors.forename: Jeanne M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: DeCara
authors.forename: Lissa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sugeng
authors.forename: R Parker
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Roberto M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Lang
mesh_terms: D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004939:Esophageal Perforation / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois / Q000453:epidemiology; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors