TRANSDUCER X7-2T

Description of Event or Problem

A PATIENT WHO WAS POST-OP FROM BIOPROSTHETIC MITRAL VALVE AND TRICUSPID VALVE REPLACEMENTS WAS DECOMPENSATING FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. WE WANTED TO PERFORM A TEE (TRANSESOPHAGEAL ECHOCARDIOGRAM) TO ASSESS WHETHER THE PATIENT HAD CARDIOGENIC SHOCK IN ADDITION TO SEPTIC SHOCK. THE TEE PROBE IN THE CVICU (CARDIOVASCULAR INTENSIVE CARE UNIT) WAS SCRATCHED AND IMAGES OBTAINED WITH THE PROBE WERE NEARLY UNINTERPRETABLE. AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE PROBE STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. WE WERE UNABLE TO ASSESS THIS PATIENT'S RIGHT HEART FUNCTION. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS SIGNIFICANTLY DELAYED THE PATIENT GOING ON ECMO (EXTRACORPOREAL MEMBRANE OXYGENATION) AS WE NEEDED THE IMAGING TO DETERMINE WHICH CANNULA TO USE. EVENTUALLY, WE WERE ABLE TO USE A PEDIATRIC TEE PROBE (THE ONLY ONE AVAILABLE) WHICH PRODUCED SUBOPTIMAL IMAGES.