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Transesophageal echocardiography was used in 18 patients (aged 1.6 to 34 years, mean age 12.6) to assess the immediate (5 patients) or intermediate (13 patients) results after a Fontan-type procedure. The findings were correlated with precordial echocardiographic (all patients) and cardiac catheterization (11 patients) data. Atrial shunting was documented by transesophageal studies in three patients (precordial in one patient). In two patients it was confirmed by cardiac catheterization; the third underwent reoperation based on the transesophageal study alone. Pulmonary artery obstruction was documented in three patients (precordial in one patient) and was confirmed by subsequent cardiac catheterization in all. Evaluation of anterior Fontan connections was successful in 5 of 8 patients (precordial in 6 of 8), and posterior connections in 10 of 10 patients (precordial in 5 of 10). A Glenn shunt could be evaluated in eight of nine patients (precordial in three of nine). Thrombus formation was detected by transesophageal studies in three patients (precordial in one patient); repeat studies were used to evaluate thrombolytic therapy in two. Atrioventricular valvular regurgitation (11 of 18 patients) was better defined by transesophageal than by precordial studies (5 of 18). A coronary artery fistula was identified in two cases (precordial in none). Transesophageal pulsed Doppler interrogation of pulmonary artery and pulmonary vein flow patterns consistently allowed a detailed evaluation of the Fontan circulation. Transesophageal echocardiography is an important diagnostic and monitoring technique after the Fontan procedure. In this series, it was far superior to precordial ultrasound evaluation and of substantial additional value to cardiac catheterization.

Between April 1985 and December 1989, outpatient transoesophageal echocardiography was performed in 133 adolescent and adult patients (14% of all outpatient transoesophageal studies) (age range 11-78 years; weight 30-95 kg) to determine the value of this technique both in establishing the primary diagnosis (62 patients) and in the post-surgical follow up (71 patients) of congenital heart disease. The results were correlated with the findings of precordial echocardiography, catheterization and surgical inspection. Clear advantages of transoesophageal imaging over precordial imaging include: (1) direct identification of atrial appendage morphology in all patients; (2) delineation of systemic and pulmonary venous connections; (3) atrial baffle function (eight patients); (4) better evaluation of the Fontan-type circulation (five patients); (5) improved morphologic assessment of the atrioventricular junction and valves (29 patients); (6) definition of subaortic obstruction (18 patients); and (7) definition of ascending aortic morphology in Marfan's syndrome and supravalvar aortic stenosis (13 patients). The problems encountered with transoesophageal imaging include: (1) limited imaging planes; (2) poor visualization of specific intracardiac regions (antero-apical trabecular septum, right ventricular outflow tract); (3) flow masking behind implanted intracardiac prosthetic material.

Previous methods used to assess atrial baffle function after correction of transposition of the great arteries have included precordial echocardiography and cardiac catheterization. To evaluate whether single plane transesophageal echocardiography might provide additional information, its findings were correlated with information derived from both precordial echocardiography and cardiac catheterization in 15 patients (14 Mustard procedures, 1 Senning procedure) aged 4.2 to 33 years (mean 16.3). Precordial ultrasound with combined imaging, color flow mapping and pulsed Doppler ultrasound visualized the supramitral portion of the common systemic venous atrium in every case but could identify only superior limb obstruction in three of six patients, mid-baffle obstruction in zero of two and inferior limb obstruction in zero of two patients. Transesophageal studies with use of the same range of ultrasound methods demonstrated superior limb obstruction (severe in four, mild in two) in six of six patients, mid-baffle obstruction in two of two and inferior limb obstruction in two of two patients. The entire pulmonary venous atrium was equally well interrogated by either ultrasound approach, with both identifying three cases (two mild, one moderate) of mid-pulmonary venous atrium obstruction. However, individual pulmonary vein velocity profiles could only be recorded by transesophageal pulsed Doppler ultrasound. Precordial studies identified baffle leaks (1 large, 2 small) in only three patients, whereas transesophageal studies identified 11 such baffle leaks (1 large, 10 small), which were multiple in two patients. It is concluded that transesophageal echocardiography provides a more detailed and accurate assessment of atrial baffle morphology and function than is provided by either precordial ultrasound or cardiac catheterization.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)