[Detection of venous embolism during intraoperative monitoring by two-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography].

12 patients (mean age: 81 +/- 9 years) undergoing total hip replacement because of transcervical femoral fractures were studied intraoperatively by two-dimensional transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of this new technique for detection of embolic events in the right heart by intraoperative 2D-TEE monitoring during hip surgery. In all patients (pts) we observed a transient increase of contrast intensity in the right atrium immediately after insertion of the acetabulum prosthesis ("snow flurry"). Contrast was maximal 15-20 seconds after insertion and persisted for approximately 2 min. While contrast intensity decreased in the minutes thereafter, in 3 pts contrast became more heterogeneous:we detected structures like "flakes" passing the right heart, sometimes circulating for some seconds in the right atrium respectively the right ventricle. Detected embolism was followed by a transient decrease of arterial pO2 (greater than 10 mmHg) in 5 pts. However, haemodynamic responses occurred infrequently; 4 pts experienced no changes at this moment. During insertion of the femoral prosthesis the contrast events were even more pronounced and persistent. In all pts we observed the appearance of "flake"-like structures passing the right atrium and the right ventricle, some measuring up to 6 cm in length. This was accompanied in 10 pts with a decrease (greater than 10 mmHg) of arterial pO2 and in 8 pts with a decrease (greater than 5 mmHg) of endtidal CO2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)