Transesophageal echocardiography and therapeutic management of patients sustaining blunt aortic injuries.

Background: No objective criteria have been described to help selecting patients with major blunt aortic injury (BAI) for postponed surgical repair. The efficacy of conservative management of minor BAI needs further evaluation.

Methods: We studied 31 patients (Injury Severity Score, 48 +/- 15) who sustained a BAI diagnosed using transesophageal echocardiography (TEE).