What is the utility of TEE in patients undergoing CABG?
The utility of TEE in patients undergoing CABG is to confirm and refine the preoperative diagnosis, detect new or unsuspected pathology, adjust the anesthetic and surgical plan accordingly, and assess the results of surgery. The strongest recommendation is given for treatment of acute life-threatening hemodynamic instability that has not responded to conventional therapies. Observational cohort analyses and case reports have suggested the utility of TEE for diagnosing acute life-threatening hemodynamic or surgical problems in CABG patients, many of which are difficult or impossible to detect or treat without direct imaging.