INITIAL CLINICAL-EXPERIENCE WITH A MINIATURE BIPLANE TRANSESOPHAGEAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC PROBE IN ADULTS

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is now routinely used in cardio vascular medicine. With improved technology the size of TEE probes has increased. Recently there has been interest in using smaller probes f or adult TEE. We used a miniature 32-element, phased array biplane pro be in 20 consecutive adults who underwent clinically indicated TEE eva luation. The miniature biplane probe was easily inserted without compl ication in all patients including one with thrombocytopenia and one wi th an esophageal stricture. Subjectively the probe was easier to inser t and better tolerated by patients than standard adult TEE probes. Hig h quality images of near-, mid-, and far-field structures were obtaine d in a majority of patients. Color Doppler identified mitral regurgita tion in 12 (60%) patients, tricuspid regurgitation in ten (50%) patien ts, and aortic insufficiency in five (25%) patients. The miniature bip lane TEE probe used in this study enhanced patient comfort without sig nificant loss of image quality.