title: Impact of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography in cardiac surgery: retrospective analysis of a series of 850 examinations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) on surgical decisions patients undergoing cardiac surger in a Portuguese hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors retrospectively analyzed a series of 850 examinations performed between 2003 and 2009 in patients who underwent different cardiac surgical procedures. Medical records and TEE reports were reviewed to determine whether new information was found and whether this changed the surgical plan.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intraoperative TEE revealed new information in 32% of the study population and had surgical impact in 29% of all patients. TEE had the greatest impact in class I indications, but its use in class II indications also had a significant impact. No cases of morbidity or mortality were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that intraoperative TEE should be used routinely in all patients undergoing cardiac surgery.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Anestesia do Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisboa, Portugal. fernandassilva25@gmail.com
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arruda
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nobre
authors.forename: Mário
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lemos
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gallego
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cravino
mesh_terms: D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies