Making a Molehill out of a Mountain: A Case of Transesophageal Echocardiographic Probe Malfunction

Abstract

Graphical abstract

A Sticky Situation: The Unfortunate Consequence of Chewing Gum

“…Other potential reasons for our technical failure included a mechanical error involving the TEE probe piezoelectric crystal, issues with electrical circuitry, or an ultrasound mechanical error, and our next step would have been to replace the TEE probe. 2 Transesophageal echocardiogram probe malfunctions have not been commonly reported in the literature, although it is apparent that TEE probes should be tested regularly to identify defective probes. 3 Anatomical differences, issues with probe contact, and inadvertent tracheal intubation were also considered, although no amount of probe maneuvering led to improved image generation.…”

“… 4 , 5 Transesophageal echocardiogram transducer shutdown due to elevated transducer temperatures (>42°C to 44°C) during prolonged use or in severely febrile patients is initiated to prevent thermal burns and patient injury; however, this was not the case in our patient as the patient was afebrile and the TEE probe temperature was <37°C. 2 , 6 …”

Design and Evaluation of Novel Bite Block for Invasive Imaging Procedures

“…A recent case report drew attention to the transesophageal echocardiography probe malfunction as an often unrecognized cause of poor image quality with significant clinical consequences. 1 Another concern associated with damage to the outer covering of probes is the risk of cross-contamination and iatrogenic infection despite following published reprocessing guidelines and manufacturer instructions. Recent reports link infection outbreaks to damaged transesophageal echocardiography probes 2,3 and bronchoscopes.…”