Transesophageal echocardiography as a quality control tool in thoracoscopic cardiac surgery:4-years' experience

Background The utilization value of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography in cardiac surgery is more and more important. However,the role of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography on quality control during thoracoscopic cardiac surgery has not been comprehensively studied. Methods A retrospective study of transesophageal echocardiography application on patients underwent thoracoscopic cardiac surgery from2012 to 2015 was conducted in a single cardiovascular center. General anesthesia and peripheral cardiopulmonary bypass were standardized for all patients. All procedures were performed through 3 holes made in the right chest wall. Transesophageal echocardiography monitoring was routinely utilized in each patient. Results A total of 1387 patients underwent thoracoscopic cardiac surgery were involved in the study. The mean age of patients was 42.8±15.3 years with a female predominance(60.6%). The most common procedures were mitral valve replacement(n=507,36.6%),atrial septal defect repair(n=425,30.6%),and mitral valve plasty(n=294,21.2%). Other main procedures included correction of partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection,cor triatriatum,ventricular septal defect or partial atrioventricular canal,removal of left or right atrial myxoma,and tricuspid valve plasty or replacement. Transesophageal echocardiography monitoring was useful at every stage of surgery without any major associated complications. Forty-four patients(3.2%)required surgical re-interventions immediately following transesophageal echocardiography evaluation. The reasons included unsatisfactory valve plasty,paravalvular leak,prosthetic dysfunction and residual shunting. The incidence of surgical re-intervention,as well as the mortality,decreased annually with increased surgical volume. Conclusions Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography plays an important role in the quality control of thoracoscopic cardiac surgery.[S Chin J Cardiol 2019;20(2):69-78]