A pilot study on safety and clinical utility of a single-use 72-hour indwelling transesophageal echocardiography probe.

Purpose: To evaluate the hemodynamic monitoring capability and safety of a single-use miniaturized transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) probe left in place in ventilated critically ill patients.

Methods: The probe was inserted in 94 patients and designed to be left in place for up to 72 h. Three views were obtained: the superior vena caval transverse, the mid-esophageal four-chamber, and the transgastric mid-papillary short-axis views.

Valvuloarterial impedance does not improve risk stratification in low-ejection fraction, low-gradient aortic stenosis: results from a multicentre study.

Objectives: In a multicentre series of patients with low-ejection fraction/low-gradient aortic stenosis (LEF/LGAS), we evaluated the prognostic impact of valvuloarterial impedance (Zva).

Background: Zva in AS, a measure of global afterload taking into account systemic arterial compliance, has been proposed for risk stratification in paradoxical LGAS. We hypothesized that Zva could help risk stratification in LEF/LGAS.

Restrictive organic mitral regurgitation associated with benfluorex therapy.

Aims: To investigate the association between benfluorex use and organic restrictive mitral regurgitation (MR) in patients admitted to hospital for diagnostic work-up of MR of unclear aetiology.

Methods And Results: Among patients referred between 2003 and 2008 to our tertiary centre for diagnostic work-up of MR, we retrospectively identified 22 consecutive patients (65 +/- 12 years, 64% women) with restrictive organic MR of unclear aetiology. Using propensity scores, 22 out of 156 patients who underwent surgery for dystrophic MR due to flail leaflets during the same time period were matched for age, sex, height, body weight, and diabetes with the study population.