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Transesophageal Echocardiography Assisting in the Identification of Intraabdominal Bleeding During Cardiac Surgery
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Transesophageal Echocardiography Assisting in the Identification of Intraabdominal Bleeding During Cardiac Surgery

Asad Mansoor, Arun K Singhal and Satoshi Hanada
Curēus (Palo Alto, CA), Vol.15(11), e48105
11/01/2023
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.48105
PMCID: PMC10690072
PMID: 38046715
url
https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.48105View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

We present a case in which intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) helped detect intraabdominal bleeding, a rare complication in cardiac surgery. A patient undergoing ascending aortic aneurysm and aortic valve repair had increasing vasopressor and transfusion requirement during sternal closure with TEE imaging revealing a nonspecific, hypoechoic fluid-like collection anterior to the stomach. Discussion between the anesthesiology and surgical teams prompted further investigation including a diagnostic laparoscopy which confirmed the presence of intraabdominal bleeding. Hemostasis was later achieved after identifying the source of bleeding from a pre-peritoneal vein and associated peritoneal defect adjacent to a mediastinal chest tube placed earlier in the operation.

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