title: Accidental pulmonary emboli noted by TEE during aortic valve replacement: a case report.
abstract: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is difficult to diagnose clinically. In a patient who was scheduled for elective aortic valve replacement, several fresh emboli were recognized in the right atrium on transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). The PEs then disappeared on the echocardiographic image, with significant immediate hemodynamic changes noted by real-time monitors, such as tachycardia and increased pulmonary artery (PA) pressure. Pulmonary embolism was highly suspected. After cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic valve replacement, PA thromboembolectomy was performed successfully. The patient survived and was discharged from the hospital 17 days later without sequelae.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Buddhist Tzu-Chi General Hospital and Buddhist Tzu-Chi University, Hualien, 970 Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Ling
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jimmy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.forename: Bee-Song
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Tsung-Ying
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hsien-Yong
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000503:physiopathology; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*