Ho A C, Tan P P, Yang M W, Chung P C, Chang C H
Department of Anaesthesia, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Changgeng Yi Xue Za Zhi. 1998 Sep;21(3):333-7.
Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has been extensively used in cardiac surgery to assess cardiac function and anatomical relationships in both adults and children. Newer monitoring devices, despite being labeled "noninvasive", often present significant risks. Physicians should be cautious with the use of TEE in infants and small children, recognizing that oversized probes may inadvertently compress vital structures, resulting in airway or vascular compromise. If severe compression of the airway or vascular structures occurs, TEE monitoring may need to be discontinued. Although technological progress has yielded smaller ultrasonic probes, the TEE probe is significantly larger than most other devices placed in the esophagus. We present in this report a case of airway compression using a small-sized biplane pediatric TEE probe in a child undergoing Blalock-Taussig shunt surgery. Pediatric patients may be more at risk for airway obstruction because of the over-size of the probe-distended esophagus in relation to adjacent airway structures.
经食管超声心动图（TEE）已广泛应用于心脏手术中，用于评估成人和儿童的心脏功能及解剖关系。尽管新型监测设备被标记为“非侵入性”，但往往存在重大风险。医生在婴幼儿中使用TEE时应谨慎，要认识到过大的探头可能会无意中压迫重要结构，导致气道或血管受损。如果发生气道或血管结构的严重压迫，可能需要停止TEE监测。尽管技术进步已产生更小的超声探头，但TEE探头仍明显大于放置在食管中的大多数其他设备。我们在本报告中呈现了一例在接受布莱洛克 - 陶西格分流术的儿童中使用小型双平面儿科TEE探头导致气道受压的病例。由于相对于相邻气道结构而言，探头扩张的食管尺寸过大，儿科患者可能更易发生气道阻塞。
