A 3-Year Audit of Pre-Operative Transthoracic Echocardiographic Features Of Patients Undergoing Elective Non-Cardiac Surgery In A Tertiary Hospital In South-South Nigeria
Keywords:
Echocardiographic features, Elective non-cardiac surgeryAbstract
Background: Echocardiography is one of the most common imaging modalities routinely used in the field of interventional cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery because it can simultaneously evaluate cardiac structures and the function in real time. However, its clinical utility has recently increased in pre-operative cardiovascular evaluation of patients undergoing elective non-cardiac surgery (NCS).
Objective: To assess the echocardiographic features of adult patients undergoing elective NCS who were referred for preoperative cardiac evaluation and echocardiography, with a view to understanding its utility.
Methods: Medical and echocardiographic records of the patients from January 2021 to April 2024 were obtained from the archives of Delta State University Teaching Hospital Medical records Department. The patients’ biodata and other relevant clinical information relating to the echocardiographic study, and cardiovascular risk profile were obtained and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 23.
Results: A total of 101 patients’ records were retrieved with a mean age of 54.8 ± 16.5 years and females constituting 54%. The main surgical cases were breast cancers (34.7%), thyroid diseases (10.9 %), benign prostate hyperplasia/cancers (10.9%), abdominal masses (18.8%) and bone fracture (24.8 %). The main co-morbidities found in approximately half of the patients (48.5%) were hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia and chronic kidney diseases. The echocardiographic findings were normal in most patients but 26.0% of the cohort had atrial enlargement (3.0%), mild left ventricular hypertrophy (4.0%), diastolic dysfunction (7.0%), mild mitral regurgitations (4.0%), pulmonary regurgitations (4.0%), pulmonary hypertension (2.0%) and aortic sclerosis (2.0%). No patient had a finding that could be described as a contraindication to surgery or anesthesia.
Conclusion: Most of the patients being prepared for elective non-cardiac surgery in our center have normal echocardiograms. However, it is advised that request for echocardiography should adhere to guideline recommendations to optimize care.
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