Transesophageal echocardiography in patients with cardiac arrest: from high-quality chest compression to effective resuscitation

Background Survival after cardiac arrest depends on prompt and effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) can be applied to evaluate the effectiveness of chest compression–decompression maneuvers in the setting of cardiac arrest undergoing CPR. The efficacy of chest compression can be continuously assessed by TEE that can improve the effectiveness of CPR guiding the rescuer to optimize or correct chest compression and decompression by directly examining the movements of the cardiac walls and valve leaflets. Purpose The review describes how to perform TEE in the emergency setting of cardiopulmonary arrest, its advantages, and limitations, and ultimately propose an echo-guided approach to CPR.