Evaluate of transesophageal echocardiography during lung transplantation

Objective To investigate the clinical value of transesophageal echocardiography during the lung transplanta tion. Methods From August 2005 to August 2009, 19 patients with advanced lung diseases received lung transplantation.The average age was(48.35±13.04) years. The echocardiographic probe was placed in patient's esophagus before surgery.The left and right pulmonary venous openings, artery blood flow velocity, right ventricular wall motion, left and right ventricular volume, right ventricular ejection fraction were recorded at different time intervals during lung transplantation, especially at the break and after completion of bronchus, pulmonary veins, and pulmonary artery anastomosis. Results The procedure included sequential-type lung transplantation in 6 cases and single lung transplantation in 13. The blood flow disappeared when blocking pulmonary artery and vein and right ventricular volume increased slightly. The right ventricular volume restored after completion of trachea, pulmonary veins, pulmonary artery anastomosis. TEE detected that the blood flow velocity of pulmonary veins, pulmonay artery anastomosis increased slightly. In 1 case the opening of the right pulmonsry artery blood flow velocity increased significantly and blood flow velocity decresed and blood oxygen partial pressure resumed after re-anastomosis of pulmonary artery. Conclusion TEE play an important role in monitoring pulmonary artery and vein anastomosis diameter and blood flow velocity and right ventricular function and predicting complications during lung transplantation. Key words: Lung transplantation Echocardiography, transesophageal