ABSTRACT
The practice guidelines for transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) monitoring during non-cardiac surgery recommend that “it may be used when the nature of the planned surgery or the patient’s known or suspected cardiovascular pathology might result in severe hemodynamic, pulmonary, or neurologic compromise.” In addition, “when equipment and expertise are locally available, TEE should be used when unexplained life-threatening circulatory instability persists despite corrective measure.”1,2 Assessment of unexplained hemodynamic instability is warranted in any patient undergoing any surgical procedure. Some non-cardiac surgical procedures are complex and hemodynamic instability is a common occurrence. In addition, TEE can provide specific information to guide the surgical procedure. In this chapter, the role of TEE during non-cardiac surgical procedures, such as thoracic surgery, lung transplantation, aortic and vascular surgery, liver and renal transplantation, and trauma is explored. These procedures can alter cardiac function, but also aect pulmonary, hepatic, and renal function.
