[Assessment of results of transesophageal echocardiography in patients with atrial flutter].

We performed 89 transesophageal electric cardiac stimulation procedures (TEECS) in order to restore sinus rhythm in 75 (84.3%) men and 14 (15.7%) women with type I atrial flutter (AF) due to coronary heart disease (n=59, 66.3%) and cardiosclerosis after myocarditis (n=30, 33.7%). Before cardioversion all patients underwent transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. All patients were divided into two groups: in group I (n=39) mean left atrium appendage ejection velocity was less or equal 40 cm/s, in group 2 (n=50) - > 40 cm/s. Patients of group I had significantly longer duration of AF episode, more often had concomitant hypertension and atrial fibrillation. Cardioversion in group I was less effective with frequent relapses and transformation into constant form. Patients of group 2 had no spontaneous contrast phenomenon grade II-IV and intra-atrial hemodynamics of type II-III, while at TEECS cardioversion straight into sinus rhythm without episode of transient fibrillation was observed significantly more frequently, suggesting possibility of shortening of anticoagulant preparation period before the procedure.