The use of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in critical care units provides a clear view of the heart and great vessels in patients with poor acoustic windows with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). Importantly, TEE provides good-quality imaging, especially for visualization of posterior structures such as the left atrium (LA) and mitral valve. TEE is useful in the assessment of left/right ventricular (RV) function, valvular lesions, and evaluation of mechanical cardiac support devices in real-time. This review provides a brief outline of the utility of TEE in intensive care units (ICU).
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