[Significance of trans-esophageal echocardiography as an adjunct to transthoracic echocardiography].

We describe our experience with the first 103 patients undergoing transesophageal echocardiography at our institution. The procedure was well accepted by most patients and associated with no major complications. The clinical indications for this procedure have included endocarditis, prosthetic cardiac valve dysfunction, detection of intracardiac source of embolism, atrial septal defect and thoracic aortic dissection. Transesophageal echocardiography proved to be useful in all of these diagnostic categories, especially if standard transthoracic echocardiography did not provide a complete assessment.