title: Usefulness of contrast-enhanced transoesophageal echocardiography to guide thoracic endovascular aortic repair procedure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is commonly considered as a valid alternative to surgery. Endoleaks occurrence is one of the principal limitations of TEVAR. Transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is often adopted in adjunct to fluoroscopy and angiography (ANGIO) during stent-graft implantation. In the present study, we compare intraprocedural ANGIO, TEE, and contrast-enhanced TEE (cTEE), and we also evaluate their accuracy in early endoleaks detection and characterization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-four patients with thoracic aortic disease suitable for TEVAR were prospectively enrolled in the study. After stent placement, the result of the procedure was assessed by ANGIO, TEE, and cTEE. The use of contrast (Sonovue, Bracco) significantly improved TEE quality (P = 0.0001). cTEE was superior in entry tears, false and true lumen and aneurysm thrombosis identification, and microtears and ulcer-like projections detection before stent deployment. After stent deployment, cTEE was more accurate than TEE and ANGIO in the detection of slow flow in the false lumen and in the aneurismal sac (P = 0.0001), and in the remaining flow identification (P = 0.0001). Notably, cTEE is more accurate in the endoleaks detection (P = 0.0001) and in the incomplete stent expansion diagnosis and need for a further balloon inflation (P 0.002), or a further stent implantation (P 0.006), compared with TEE and ANGIO.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TEVAR procedures are improved by the complimentary use of contrast fluoroscopy, multiplane TEE with Doppler flow interrogation, and cTEE. This triple imaging approach provides additional information in all phases of the procedure improving safety of stent-grafting and the procedural outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Division of Non-Invasive Cardiology, San Raffaele Hospital, Via Olgettina 58, Milan 20100, Italy agricola.eustachio@hsr.it.
authors.forename: Eustachio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Agricola
authors.affiliation: Division of Non-Invasive Cardiology, San Raffaele Hospital, Via Olgettina 58, Milan 20100, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Slavich
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Surgery, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan 20100, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rinaldi
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Surgery, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan 20100, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bertoglio
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Surgery, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan 20100, Italy.
authors.forename: Efrem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Civilini
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Surgery, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan 20100, Italy.
authors.forename: Germano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Melissano
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Surgery, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan 20100, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marone
authors.affiliation: Division of Non-Invasive Cardiology, San Raffaele Hospital, Via Olgettina 58, Milan 20100, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fisicaro
authors.affiliation: Division of Non-Invasive Cardiology, San Raffaele Hospital, Via Olgettina 58, Milan 20100, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marini
authors.affiliation: Division of Non-Invasive Cardiology, San Raffaele Hospital, Via Olgettina 58, Milan 20100, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tufaro
authors.affiliation: Division of Non-Invasive Cardiology, San Raffaele Hospital, Via Olgettina 58, Milan 20100, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cappelletti
authors.affiliation: Division of Non-Invasive Cardiology, San Raffaele Hospital, Via Olgettina 58, Milan 20100, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Margonato
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Surgery, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan 20100, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chiesa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000784:Aortic Dissection; D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods; D003287:Contrast Media; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000379:methods; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy / Q000379:methods; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: TEVAR; aortic disease; contrast echocardiography; transoesophageal echocardiography