Transesophageal Echocardiographic Evaluation of Left Ventricular Function

Left ventricular function is a main cause of circulatory failure peri-operatively and in critically ill patients in general. Of patients presenting for non-cardiac surgery, 15% are at risk for, or have, cardiac disease and this number increases with age, and in patients presenting for surgery in the later stages of chronic diseases such as diabetes or arterial hypertension [1]. Peri-operative morbidity and mortality in this patient population can be decreased only by using intensive monitoring and by early recognition and correction of abnormalities [2]. Cardiovascular function is a primary determinant of prognosis in critically ill patients and cardiovascular indices have proven to be valuable parameters of illness severity and prognosis [3].