A Rare Case of Transesophageal Echocardiography Probe-Induced Tongue Ulcer

Abstract

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is a commonly used diagnostic and monitoring modality in anesthetic practice. It is used in neurosurgery for monitoring cardiac function and detecting venous air embolism. TEE is a semi-invasive procedure and is considered to be reasonably safe with a few complications. During neurosurgical cases, access to the head end is limited and TEE can cause injury due to prolonged contact. These injuries can be noticed only at the conclusion of the surgery. We report a rare case of tongue ulcer caused due to the use of TEE in a sitting neurosurgical procedure with a complete resolution.

Keywords

• transesophageal echocardiography
• tongue ulcer
• neurosurgery