• M S Feinberg, W E Hopkins, V G Davila-Roman, and B Barzilai.
• Cardiovascular Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.
• Chest. 1995 Mar 1;107(3):769-73.

ObjectivesTo compare cardiac output and stroke volume measured by multiplane transesophageal Doppler echocardiography with that measured by the thermodilution technique.DesignProspective direct comparison of paired measurements by both techniques in each patient.SettingCardiac surgery and myocardial infarction intensive care units.PatientsTwenty-nine patients, mean age (+/- SD) 67 +/- 8 years. Nineteen had undergone open heart surgery and 10 had suffered acute myocardial infarction.MethodsCardiac output and stroke volume were measured simultaneously by the thermodilution technique and multiplane transesophageal Doppler echocardiography via the transgastric view (119 +/- 8 degrees) with the sample volume positioned at the level of the left ventricular outflow tract.ResultsStroke volume and cardiac output measurements were obtained in 29 of 33 patients (88%). Mean values were 50 +/- 13 mL and 4.8 +/- 1.3 L/min by Doppler and 51 +/- 14 mL and 4.9 +/- 1.4 L/min by thermodilution (r = 0.90, r = 0.91, p < 0.001). The mean differences in values obtained with the two techniques were 1 +/- 6 mL (2 +/- 12%) and 0.1 +/- 0.7 L/min (2 +/- 12%).ConclusionsMultiplane transesophageal echocardiography enhances the ability to estimate accurately cardiac output and stroke volume by providing new access to left ventricular outflow tract in critically ill patients.

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