Usefulness of transesophageal echocardiography in the assessment of aortic graft dehiscence

The diagnosis and site of graft dehiscence determined by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), and aortography in 6 patients, and by computed tomography (CT) scan in 3 patients were compared with surgery. Sensitivity of TEE was 100%, aortography 83%, CT scan 67%, and TTE 33%; TEE accurately identified severe aortic regurgitation (3), graft narrowing (2), distal aortic dissection (1), and a fistulous communication between the aortic root and the right ventricle (1) when compared with surgery or aortography.