Transoesophageal echocardiography guidance with paediatric probes in adults undergoing left atrial appendage occlusion

Introduction

Transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) plays a pivotal role in the guidance of percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO). Visualisation of the positioning and deployment of the LAAO device is essential for a successful and safe implantation1. Due to the relatively long duration of an LAAO procedure, currently used standard size probes are often not tolerated by patients without the use of general anaesthesia (GA). The use of GA, however, results in the need for an anaesthesiologist, longer procedure times and the risk of anaesthesia-related complications. Therefore, less invasive imaging techniques to guide LAAO are warranted. For paediatric purposes, smaller ...