A comparison Of Transoesphageal Echocardiographic Doppler Across The Aortic Valve And Thermodilutiqn Techniqiue For Estimation Of Cardiac Output

Abstract

Management of cardiac output is an important part of the peri­ operative management of high-risk surgical patients and of the management of the critically ill patient in Intensive Care. Cardiac output cannot be estimated reliably by physical examination or routine assessment and therefore some means of measurement is required (Cholley and Payen, 2005).

The development of the pulmonary artety catheter usmg the thermodilution technique of cardiac output monitoring remain the most common approach in use today and is considered to be the 'gold standard' approach to cardiac output monitoring. However, it is not without risk. Numeoous complications of pulmonary artety catheters have been described, so, it is better to be inserted under image (Gawlinski, 2004).

New technology that computes cardiac output non-invasively and which is safe, reliable, reproducible and simple to use would have significant advantages over the use of pulmonary artety catheters. Alternative techniques currently available include oesophageal Doppler ultrasonography, transoesophageal echo-cardiography, thoracic electrical bioimpedance devices, lithium dilution and pulse wave analysis. All of these techniques are relatively non-invasive compared to the use of pulmonary artety catheters (Cholley and Payen, 2005). Transesophageal echocardiography is becoming increasingly popular as a method of intraoperative monitoring because it can be performed