Clinical Review
Using Transesophageal Echocardiography to Guide Early Cardioversion
Fed Pract. 2004 December;21(12):8
Author and Disclosure Information
Masoor Kamalesh, MD, Jatin Dave, MD, and Stephen Sawada, MD
Dr. Kamalesh is an associate professor of clinical medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine and a staff physician at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, both in Indianapolis, IN. Dr. Dave is a geriatrics fellow at Beth Israel-Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Dr. Sawada is an associate professor of medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine.
Despite its proven safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness in guiding early cardioversion, transesophageal echocardiography is used rarely for this purpose by cardiologists in community hospitals. Is lack of experience the reason—and, if so, is that a valid concern?