Novel transoesophageal echocardiographic views attain superior incident angles for tricuspid, but not pulmonary, valvular Doppler interrogation

Abstract

For accurate spectral Doppler valvular evaluation, intraoperative sonographers must use transoesophageal echocardiographic (TOE) views that offer optimal incident angles. We hypothesised that views added to the 2013 American Society of Echocardiography/Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists (ASE/SCA) standard views and other novel views we have described of the tricuspid (TV) and pulmonary valves (PV) offered superior incident angles to those included in the original 1999 ASE/SCA recommendations for comprehensive intraoperative TOE examination. We compared the acquisition feasibility and incident angles obtained by these views in 62 patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery, who received TOE monitoring as standard care. Overall, the 2013 ASE/SCA standard and novel views provided superior incident angles for the TV (28% and 66% of patients) whereas the 1999 ASE/SCA standard views provided superior incident angles for the PV (79% of patients, <i>P</i> <0.0001). The novel 90° mid-oesophageal modified bicaval view (90°MEMBC) and the 1999 ASE/SCA standard aortic arch short-axis view (AoArSAX) obtained best incident angles for the TV (mean [95% confidence interval] 13° [10°-16°]) and PV (5° [3°-7°]) respectively. PV view acquisition feasibility between the 1999 ASE/SCA standard, 2013 ASE/SCA standard and novel views was not significantly different (acquisition rate difference 11%, <i>P</i> ≥0.11). We conclude that the 2013 ASE/SCA TV standard and novel views obtained superior incident angles for the tricuspid, but not pulmonary valves. We recommend that intraoperative sonographers consider the use of these views, particularly when incident angles obtained with standard views are suboptimal.