Key result
Epicardial echocardiography improves visualization of anterior and vascular structures over TEE in congenital heart surgery.
Why the study?
Epicardial echocardiography is useful in intraoperative imaging for small patients or those with contraindications to TEE, but guidance on its utility, technique, and feasibility is needed.
Epicardial echocardiography is a valuable intraoperative imaging alternative to TEE in pediatric and congenital heart surgery, offering improved visualization of anterior and vascular structures.
Supports consideration as TEE alternative in select pediatric cases; leaves open need for prospective trials before broader adoption.
Epicardial echocardiography (e-echo) is a useful approach to intraoperative imaging for the smallest patients and in those with contraindications to transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). The e-echo has additional advantages that include improved visualization of anterior and vascular structures and three-dimensional capabilities. In this review, we describe the advantages and disadvantages of e-echo versus TEE for pediatric and congenital heart surgery with the goal of enhancing the utility and feasibility of the former among congenital heart surgeons. We also review the technique for performance of an e-echo and provide demonstrations of the images obtained for select lesions.
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Stern et al. (2019) conducted a review in Pediatric and congenital heart surgery. Epicardial echocardiography (e-echo) vs. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was evaluated. Epicardial echocardiography offers advantages over transesophageal echocardiography in pediatric and congenital heart surgery, including improved visualization of anterior and vascular structures.
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