Single-step atrial thrombus exclusion and transesophageal cardioversion in atrial fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common arrhythmia, has a major impact on both patient morbidity and healthcare economics. Hospital admissions due to AF have risen by two-thirds in the last 20 years. This is due mainly to an aging population and an increasing prevalence of chronic heart disease. Strategies for the management of AF include prevention of thromboembolism, rate control and correction of the arrhythmia. Electrical cardioversion as one component of the treatment of AF requires the absence of atrial thrombi. Transesophageal echocardiography is used routinely for exclusion of atrial thrombi prior to cardioversion in many hospitals. This review presents preliminary data on the clinical use of devices for simultaneous transesophageal echocardiography and transesophageal cardioversion.
Mischke
Karl
K
Department of Cardiology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany. kmischke@ukaachen.de
Schimpf
Thomas
T
Knackstedt
Christian
C
Hanrath
Peter
P
Schauerte
Patrick
P
D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000628:therapy*; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D004947:Esophagus; D006801:Humans; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000517:prevention & control*