Feasibility and Operator-Reported Utility of Transesophageal Lung Ultrasound As an Adjunct to Resuscitative Transesophageal Echocardiography in the Evaluation of Shock: A Multicenter Observational Study.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the utilization, feasibility, and operator-reported diagnostic and management impact of transesophageal lung ultrasound (TELUS) integrated into resuscitative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for the assessment of mechanically ventilated adults with shock.

DESIGN

Multicenter observational cohort study using prospectively collected data.

SETTING

Twenty-three hospitals from the Resuscitative Transesophageal Echocardiography Collaborative Registry (rTEECoRe) network.

PATIENTS: From 1213 registry TEE examinations, 379 met the inclusion criteria for shock evaluation or hemodynamic monitoring in mechanically ventilated adults; 96 (25.3%) of these included TELUS.

INTERVENTIONS: None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN

RESULTS

TELUS integration was associated with significantly higher operator-reported identification of shock etiology compared with resuscitative TEE alone (86.5% vs. 75.3%; odds ratio [OR], 1.95; 95% CI, 1.02-3.72; p = 0.04). Although overall clinical management changes were more frequently reported in the TELUS group, this difference did not reach statistical significance (78.1% vs. 71.7%; OR, 1.40; 95% CI, 0.82-2.41; p = 0.22). TELUS examinations were associated with longer procedure duration (median 21.5 vs.19.0 min; p = 0.01) and were predominantly performed by intensivists. Pulmonary findings, including B-lines, pleural effusions, consolidations, and A-line patterns, varied in frequency and were occasionally associated with specific respiratory or antimicrobial interventions. Procedure-related complications were rare and similar between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

In this multicenter cohort of mechanically ventilated adults with shock, adding TELUS to resuscitative TEE was associated with a higher rate of operator-reported identification of shock etiology and was feasible with minimal additional procedure time. Prospective studies with standardized TELUS acquisition and interpretation, independent adjudication, and evaluation of patient-centered outcomes are needed to define clinical scenarios of incremental value.