Transesophageal echocardiography for perioperative management in thoracic surgery

Purpose of review Perioperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is most often employed during cardiac surgery. This review will summarize some of the recent findings relevant to TEE utilization during thoracic surgical procedures. Recent findings Hemodynamic monitoring is a key component of goal-directed fluid therapy, which is also becoming more common for management of thoracic surgical procedures. Although usually not required for the anesthetic management of common thoracic surgeries, TEE is frequently used during lung transplantation and pulmonary thromboendarterectomy. Few clinical studies support current practice patterns, and most recommendations are based on expert opinion. Currently, routine use of TEE in thoracic surgery is often limited to specific high-risk patients and/or procedures. As in other perioperative settings, TEE may be utilized to elucidate the reasons for acute hemodynamic instability without apparent cause. Contraindications to TEE apply and have to be taken into consideration before performing a TEE on a thoracic surgical patient.

Automated summary

This review highlights the recent findings on the utilization of TEE during thoracic surgical procedures, emphasizing its common use in high-risk surgeries like lung transplantation and pulmonary thromboendarterectomy. While TEE is not usually required for common thoracic surgeries, it may be used to elucidate reasons for acute hemodynamic instability without apparent cause. Most recommendations in this field are expert opinion-based, and routine use of TEE in thoracic surgery is often limited to specific high-risk patients and procedures.