title: Role of transesophageal echocardiography: a rare case of acute left atrial free wall dissection.
abstract: Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has been used routinely in the diagnosis and follow-up of cardiac cases. Left atrial dissection (LAd), an exceedingly rare complication of cardiac surgery, is most commonly associated with mitral valve surgery. A case of LAd is presented, and the pathology was accurately defined and immediately diagnosed using intraoperative TEE. This case highlights the importance of prompt diagnosis of LAd using intraoperative TEE, and a second cardiac surgery was avoided.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Anaesthesiology, Sagar Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: G Anil
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Nandakumar
authors.forename: B V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Sudhir
authors.forename: Ashwini Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Pasarad
mesh_terms: D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000601:surgery*