Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography detects a sheared catheter wire and alters surgical approach in a Jehovah’s Witness patient undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery

Abstract

AS A ROUTINE INTRAOPERATIVE diagnostic monitor for cardiac surgery, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has been widely accepted by cardiac surgeons and anesthesiologists. Intraoperative TEE during cardiac surgery has consistently shown its safety 1 Thys D.M. Abel M. Bollen B.A. et al. Practice guidelines for perioperative transesophageal echocardiography A report by the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists Task Force on Transesophageal Echocardiography. Anesthesiology. 1996; 84: 986-1006 Crossref PubMed Scopus (517) Google Scholar , 2 Kallmeyer I.J. Collard C.D. Fox J.A. et al. The safety of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography A case series of 7200 cardiac surgical patients. Anesth Analg. 2001; 92: 1126-1130 Crossref PubMed Scopus (354) Google Scholar and its invaluable role in the anesthetic and surgical decision-making process. 3 Morewood G.H. Gallaher M.E. Gaughan J.P. et al. Current practice patterns for perioperative transesophageal echocardiography in the United States. Anesthesiology. 2001; 95: 1507-1512 Crossref PubMed Scopus (32) Google Scholar , 4 Michel-Cherqui M. Ceddaha A. Liu N. et al. Assessment of systematic use of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography during cardiac surgery in adults A prospective study of 203 patients. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2000; 14: 45-50 Abstract Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (57) Google Scholar A case in which intraoperative TEE resulted in the incidental finding of a piece of sheared catheter wire between the left atrium and ventricle and altered the surgical approach in a Jehovah’s Witness patient during repeat coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is presented. 5 Fanshawe M. Ellis C. Habib S. et al. A retrospective analysis of the costs and benefits related to alterations in cardiac surgery from routine intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography. Anesth Analg. 2002; 95: 824-827 PubMed Google Scholar