Multiplane transesophageal echocardiographic evaluation of transvenous defibrillation leads.

Permanent transvenous cardioverter-defibrillator leads were investigated by multiplane transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) (1) to determine whether intracardiac lead segments can be visualized, (2) to verify the position of the coils, and (3) to detect possible thrombus formation. The diagnostic information obtained in 62 patients by TEE was compared to that of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). Abnormal findings were only visualized by multiplane TEE. However, further controlled studies are needed to determine the clinical relevance of displaced caval (one patient) and ventricular coils (15 patients), ventricular (1 patient) or atrial (6 patients) loops, and of clinically uneventful thrombi (13 patients).