Transesophageal echocardiography. Preliminary results in patients with traumatic aortic rupture
M. B. Sparks, K. W. Burchard, C. A. Marrin, C. H. Bean, W. C. Nugent Jr and J. F. Plehn
Section of General Surgery, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Hanover, NH 03756.
Eleven patients with blunt chest trauma at risk for traumatic aortic
rupture underwent transesophageal echocardiography to image the descending
aorta. Diagnoses were compared with the results of radiographic studies.
Ten of the 11 patients underwent arch aortography, with positive results in
six cases. In one patient, the results of a computed tomographic scan were
interpreted as consistent with aortic rupture. The results of
transesophageal echocardiography were positive for ruptured descending
aorta in three of six patients with positive aortographic findings, and
negative in eight patients. All three patients with positive findings had
the diagnosis of ruptured descending aorta confirmed at surgery. The
remaining eight patients demonstrated no aortic morbidity. These
preliminary findings suggest that transesophageal echocardiography is a
useful technique for the diagnosis of ruptured descending aorta following
blunt chest trauma.
