Transesophageal Echocardiography

Abstract

The use of ultrasound has revolutionized care in the intensive care unit (ICU). The use of critical care echocardiography, including transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), has become commonplace in ICUs worldwide. In North America, however, intensivists rarely perform transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) unless they have anesthesiology training or have received specialized training to be competent in TEE. In many centers, neurology critical care is provided within the general ICU, and many tertiary-care centers have a dedicated ICU for specialized cases that require advanced and intensive neurologic care.