Philips epiq 7 - Page 203

Problem Effect on Patient Prevention See
Improper
insertion or
withdrawal
Esophageal cuts,
bleeding, ligament
damage, perforations
To prevent improper insertion or
withdrawal when using a TEE transducer,
never use force when inserting, removing,
or manipulating the transducer. During
insertion, lock the medial/lateral controls.
During withdrawal, release both brakes to
place both steering knobs in the
freewheeling position.
“TEE Study Guidelines”
on page 225
Pressure
necrosis
Death of esophageal
lining tissue
Keep deflection controls in freewheeling
mode and unplug the transducer from the
system when not imaging. Minimize the
pressure applied to deflection area and
distal tip. Do not let the distal tip displace
a tissue area for more than 5 consecutive
minutes.
“TEE Study Guidelines”
on page 225
Increased
transducer
temperature
Esophageal burns Use the TEE preset that has been
established to minimize the effects of
temperature. For febrile patients, use the
Auto-Cool feature.
“Entering Patient
Temperature” on page
231
Improper
patient position
Transient unilateral vocal
cord paralysis
Never use the transducer during any
procedure requiring extreme neck flexion,
such as sitting craniotomies.
“TEE Study Guidelines”
on page 225
Nonisolated
ESUs
Electrical burns Only use isolated-output electrosurgical
units (ESUs). The ESU label or service guide
or your biomedical department should
identify whether or not the ESU is isolated.
Unplug transducer from the system when
you are not imaging.
“Electrical Safety and
TEE Transducers” on
page 205
Defibrillation
issues
Electrical burns Remove the transducer from the patient
before defibrillation.
“Electrical Safety and
TEE Transducers” on
page 205
Patient Safety During TEE Studies
Transesophageal Transducers
EPIQ 7 User Manual 4535 617 25341 203