title: Transoesophageal echocardiography during coronary artery bypass procedures: impact on surgical planning.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (iTEE) is widely accepted and routinely used during heart valve surgery. However, the impact of iTEE among patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is less well documented. In this study, we aim to define the impact of iTEE in patients undergoing myocardial revascularization for severe coronary artery disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed clinical data and preoperative and intraoperative echocardiograms of all adults who underwent on pump coronary bypass and iTEE between January 2008 and December 2008.
  
  
  RESULTS
  521 patients (mean age 69±14 years) were studied. New prebypass findings were obtained in 82 (15.7%) patients: in 62 (11.9%) of these patients, this information changed the surgical plan. New postbypass findings were obtained in 8 patients (1.5%) and the surgical plan was altered in 4 patients (0.7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall new findings were obtained in 90 patients (17.2%) and the surgical plan was altered in 66 patients (12.6%). These data support the routine use of iTEE among patients undergoing surgical myocardial revascularization.
authors: Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Unit, Cardiothoracic Department, University Hospital of Pisa, Italy.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Guarracino
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Cariello
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Tritapepe
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Doroni
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Baldassarri
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Danella
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Stefani
keywords: cardiac anesthesia; cardiac surgery; coronary artery by pass grafting.; echocardiography