Transesophageal access to the cardiac cavities and descending thoracic aorta via echoendoscopy. An experimental study

Objective: the applications of endoscopic ultrasonography have diversified over recent years. The possibility of reaching cardiac territory has been successfully explored in experimental models, opening up a new field of possibilities for diagnostic and therapeutic interventions that were unthinkable until very re cently. The aims set out in this study are to evaluate cardiac anatomy, its approach, the safety of the experimental procedure and the resulting morphological and histological changes after the procedure. Material and methods: the study has been performed on two adult pigs. They have undergone different surgical approach es to the cardiac cavities and descending thoracic aorta with excel lent results. Results: different cardiac structures have been identified and operated upon (right auricle, left auricle, left ventricle, cardiac valves), as well as major vessels. The use of contrast, both intra cavitary and from a peripheral vein, enabled us to verify the anatomical spaces studied. During the procedures we monitored for arrhythmias, hemodynamic behavior, possibility of infection by obtaining sample hemocultures before and after procedures, and response to punctures. Conclusions: the present study has enabled us to evaluate ac cess to the heart from the esophageal lumen using endoscopic ul trasonography, with results that are very similar to those described in the current bibliography. However, we offer two novelties: puncture of the right auricle through the interauricular partition and puncture of the descending thoracic aorta, both performed with ease and apparent safety.