DETECTION OF INTRAATRIAL CONDUIT LEAKAGE BY TRANSESOPHAGEAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY

A 19-year-old male patient who had undergone total cavo-pulmonary conn ection for complex congenital cyanotic heart disease with partial anom alous pulmonary venous return, was found to have persistent postoperat ive cyanosis. Transesophageal echocardiography disclosed leakage of th e intra-atrial Gortex conduit with a right-to-left shunt. Prompt re-do operation confirmed the site of the leakage which was successfully re paired. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography may be indicat ed so as to avoid a secondary open-chest procedure for this complicati on.