Paulo Roberto Pavarino et al. Hélio Augusto do Reis Corbucci Carlos Henrique de Marchi Paula Fernanda da Mata Moacir Fernandes de Godoy
OBJECTIVE: To determine the importance of contrast echocardiography in the diagnosis of intrapulmonary vascular dilations (PVD) in patients with severe hepatic diseases, eligible for transplantation. METHODS: Transthoracic ecocardiography (TTE) with second harmonic imaging was performed in 76 patients, among them 32 patients were consecutively undergone to a transesophageal study (ETE). Echocardiographic contrast was obtained from microbubbles derived from the injection of agitated saline solution, in venous peripheral access. Abnormal presence of contrast in the left cardiac chambers was considered positive, with a delay of 4 to 6 cardiac cycles , after initial opacicification of the right cardiac chambers. RESULTS: PVD diagnosis was performed in 53.9% of the patients (41/76). Sensibility, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of the TTE in relation to the ETE was 75%, 100%, 100%, 80% e 87.5%, respectively. Echocardiography was positive in 37 (55.2%) of 67 nonhypoxemic patients, and in 4 (44.4%) hypoxemic ones. No cardiologic hemodynamic repercussions from intrapulmonar shunt were observed. CONCLUSION: The contrast echocardiography is efficient, easy to be used, and safe in the search for and identification of intrapulmonary vascular alterations in patients eligible for hepatic transplantation