Infective Endocarditis: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Issues - Should Transesophageal Echocardiography be Performed in all Patients? - Position Con

Journal of Clinical and Basic Cardiology 2001; 4 (2): 161-164

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Keywords: infektiöse Endokarditis,  transthorakale Echokardiographie,  transösophageale Echokardiographie,  infective endocarditis,  transesophageal echocardiography,  transthoracic echocardiography

The position of a selected indication to TEE in patients with suspected IE should be probably considered as a part of a more general controversy on the appropriate use of medical technology and resources. In fact the answer to the question when TEE should be performed could change if we are taking into account an environment where the resources are considered somewhat unlimited. In this settings the answer could be: what is easy availale is needed. In the more realistic environment of limited resources or, better to say, in the cost/benefit arena the answer should be: what is appropriate is needed. And this makes much more sense for a clinician who likes clinical guided indications to technology and is expecting a clear cut incremental value from the decision to perform a second step examination. The position of a selected indication to TEE in patients with suspected IE should be then strongly supported. The indication to TEE should be based on clinical guidance and TEE should be always preceded by a high technical standard TTE examination.