USEFULNESS OF TRANSESOPHAGEAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY FOR DIAGNOSIS OF INFECTED TRANSVENOUS PERMANENT PACEMAKERS

Background Transesophageal echocardiography is superior to transthorac ic echocardiography in detecting left-sided valvular vegetations. Ther e are no data on the value of transesophageal echocardiography in the diagnosis of infected transvenous permanent pacemakers. Methods and Re sults Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography was performed in 10 patients for whom there was clinical suspicion of infected perm anent transvenous pacemakers. Transthoracic echocardiography detected pacemaker lead vegetations in 2 patients, whereas transesophageal echo cardiography visualized pacemaker lead vegetations in 7 patients. Surg ical confirmation was obtained in 6 of these 7 patients. Most patients had more than one pacemaker electrode in place. Local complications a t the generator pocket were present in 6 patients. Staphylococcus was the predominant causative organism. Conclusions Transesophageal echoca rdiography is superior to transthoracic echocardiography in the detect ion of pacemaker lead vegetations.