Left atrial spontaneous echocardiographic contrast after heart transplantation

• Published in: The American journal of cardiology Vol. 69; no. 8; pp. 817 - 818
• Main Authors: Torrecilla, Esteban G., García-Fernández, Miguel A., Román, Daniel San, Muñóz, Roberto, Palomo, Jesús, Delcán, Juan L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 15.03.1992; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiovascular system; Echocardiography - methods; Esophagus; Female; Heart Atria - diagnostic imaging; Heart Transplantation - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Ultrasonic investigative techniques; Heart; Sonography; Human; Postoperative; Cardiovascular disease; Left atrium; Homotransplantation; Esophagus; Treatment; Heart disease; Surgery; Ultrasonic transducer; Image contrast
• ISSN: 0002-9149; 1879-1913
• DOI: 10.1016/0002-9149(92)90515-Z

Spontaneous echocardiographic contrast constitutes an interesting phenomenon initially described in large poorly contractile left ventricles. 1 These smoke-like discrete reflectances were previously identified in intraatrial blood by transthoracic echocardiography. 2–4 Since the advent of transesophageal echocardiographic (TEE) studies, left atrial spontaneous contrast has been observed with increasing frequency in patients with atrial fibrillation, mitral valve disease or replacement, or both; it has not been detected in the absence of clinically identified cardiac disease. 5 In addition, left atrial smoke-like echoes have created a growing interest because this phenomenon has been invocated as a potential risk factor for arterial thromboembolism. 5,6 We report our experience with regard to spontaneous left atrial contrast in a consecutive series of orthotopic cardiac transplant patients who underwent a TEE study.