Intraoperative localization and monitoring of migrating foreign body using transesophageal echocardiography

• Main Authors: Bhupesh Kumar, Ashok Kumar Badamali, Aveek Jayant, Ishwar Bhukal, Goverdhan D Puri
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2014-01-01
• Series: Annals of Cardiac Anaesthesia
• Subjects: Blast injury; Intrathoracic foreign body; Transesophageal echocardiography
• Online Access: http://www.annals.in/article.asp?issn=0971-9784;year=2014;volume=17;issue=4;spage=314;epage=317;aulast=Kumar

Radiological imaging is often used for the preoperative localization of foreign body following blast injury, but their utility in case of migration during intra-operative period is limited. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has been used for intra-operative localization and removal of intra-cardiac foreign body; however, reports for localization of extracardiac migrating foreign body are few. Preoperative radiological imaging, in a victim of factory blast-injury, suggested foreign body in the posterior mediastinum. However, the intra-operative TEE showed it in the left atrium, which later migrated into the left ventricle necessitating a change in surgical approach for its removal.