INDICATIONS OF TRANSESOPHAGEAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY IN A TEACHING HOSPITAL OF PESHAWAR

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the indications of trans-esophageal echocardiography (TEE) in a teaching hospital of Peshawar. METHODOLOGY: Data collected from April 2003 to September 2009. Consecutive male and female adult patients, who presented to Echo section of Hayatabad Medical Complex for TEE, were included in the study. Information gathered included demographic data, indications, findings, clinical applications and complications of the procedure. Data was expressed as frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations. RESULTS: A total of 175 cases of TEE were included after excluding 23 repeated procedures, over a period of 6 years. 94 (54%) were female. The patients ranged in age from 13 to 82 years with a mean age of 31±18 years. All the TEE were done in adult echo section. The most frequent indication for TEE was for the evaluations of left atrium (LA) and left atrial appendage (LAA) clot 71 (40.5%), followed by evaluation of infective endocarditis (IE) in 35 (20%) and evaluation of congenital heart disease (CHD) in adults in 35 (20%) cases. No major complication and no mortality recorded related to the procedure. CONCLUSION: TEE has been most commonly performed in Hayatabad Medical Complex to evaluate LA/LAA clot followed by IE and CHD without any major complications.