Transesophageal echocardiography of intracardiac thrombus in congenital heart disease and atrial flutter: the importance of thorough examination of the Fontan.

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is used in atrial flutter or fibrillation (AFF) before electric cardioversion to detect intracardiac thrombi. Previous studies have described the use of TEE to diagnose intracardiac thrombi in the left atrium and left atrial appendage, which has an incidence of 8 % among patients without congenital heart disease (CHD). In their practice the authors have noted a significant incidence of intracardiac thrombi in other structures of patients with CHD and AFF.