Detection of pulmonary vascular by transesophageal echocardiography during lung transplantation

Abstract

Objective To detect the new views for pulmonary vascular by transesophageal echocardiography(TEE) during lung transplantation.Methods Seventeen cases with respiratory failure underwent lung transplantation.A series of scans were detected by TEE during preoperative anesthesia, preand pro-pulmonary vascular occlusion and pro-donor lung, and bronchus, pulmonary veins, pulmonary artery anastomoses.Left and right lung veins open and left and right pulmonary artery branch were key to observed.Pulmonary artery trunk and branch diameter, velocity of blood flow were measured.Results All left and right pulmonary artery,pulmonary vein images were given by TEE.TEE detected the normal blood flow velocity of pulmonary artery branches during pre-operation,average of 65 cm/s.After clipping the side of the pulmonary artery, the lateral pulmonary blood flow disappeared.TEE detected pulmonary veins,pulmonary artery anastomoses pro-operation.Except for 1 case of anastomotic pulmonary vein flow velocity increased,all the pulmonary vein and pulmonary artery branch anastomoses flow velocity increased slightly faster than those before transplantation (mean pulmonary artery branch of 160 cm/s, the average pulmonary vein 149 cm/s).Conclusions TEE can monitor diameter and flow velocity of pulmonary artery branch and pulmonary vein during lung transplantation,and can detect the rightventricular function.The views of left and right branch pulmonary artery and pulmonary vein branches play an important role during lung transplantation. Key words: Echocardiography,transesophageal; Lung transplantation