Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography in patients undergoing robotic mitral valve replacement

Abstract

To retrospectively assess the value of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) during robotic mitral valve (MV) replacement. Intraoperative TEE was performed in 21 patients undergoing robotic MV replacement for severe rheumatic mitral stenosis between November 2008 and December 2010. During the procedure, TEE was performed to document the mechanism of rheumatic mitral stenosis (leaflet thickening and calcification, commissural fusion or chordal fusion) before cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). During the establishment of peripheral CPB, TEE was used to guide the placement of the cannulae in the inferior vena cava (IVC), superior vena cava (SVC), and ascending aorta (AAO). After weaning from CPB, TEE was performed to evaluate the effect of the procedure. Accuracy of TEE was 100% for rheumatic mitral stenosis. All the cannuli in the SVC, IVC and AAO were located in the correct position. In all patients, TEE confirmed successful procedure. TEE is useful in the assessment of robotic MV replacement.