Validation and Feasibility of Intraoperative Three-Dimensional Transesophageal Echocardiographic Cardiac Output

In Brief BACKGROUND: In this pilot study, we attempted to validate three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (3DTEE) cardiac output and assess its feasibility intraoperatively. METHODS: Twenty patients undergoing cardiac surgery underwent simultaneous cardiac output determinations during the clinically stable prebypass period by 3DTEE and thermodilution. RESULTS: The correlation coefficient between cardiac output measured by the two methods was 0.86. The 3DTEE mean bias was 0.27 L/min, limits of agreement −1.64 to 2.17 L/min (approximately ±35%). Three-dimensional data acquisition averaged 43 s; postprocessing took 7 min. CONCLUSIONS: Three-dimensional TEE can measure cardiac output and is feasible perioperatively. Measurements have good correlation with thermodilution, though with a significant bias and wide limits of agreement. IMPLICATIONS: This pilot study attempted to validate three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography cardiac output and assess its feasibility intraoperatively.