Tuesday, April 11, 2006

TEE “indispensable” in stroke of undetermined etiology

A study in the March 2006 issue of Stroke evaluated the role of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in 503 patients with ischemic stroke. Of the 227 patients with no apparent etiology after routine testing (ultrasound, TTE, CT/MR, etc) TEE revealed a “high risk or potential” embolic source appropriate for oral anticoagulation in about one third.

The authors concluded that TEE is “indispensable” when routine testing fails to clarify the etiology.

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