3

Among 261,860 patients (123,702 valve and 138,158 isolated CABG), the GLMM analysis demonstrated that the strongest predictor for intraoperative TEE use was the hospital where the surgery occurred (MOR for TEE of 2.57 in valve and 4.16 in isolated CABG). The TEE staffing variable reduced the previously unexplained across-hospital variability by 9% in valve and 21% in isolated CABG, and hospitals with anesthesiologist TEE staffing (vs mixed) were more likely to use TEE in both valve (MOR for TEE of 1.21 in valve and 1.84 in isolated CABG). Hospital practice was the strongest predictor for TEE use overall, and in isolated CABG surgery, hospitals with anesthesiologist TEE staffing was a primary predictor for TEE use.

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is the most widely performed cardiac surgery in the United States. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is frequently used in a variety of cardiac surgical procedures, but its clinical benefit in isolated CABG surgery is unclear, and guidelines remain indeterminate. The aim of this study was to compare clinical outcomes among patients undergoing isolated CABG surgery with versus without TEE in order to test the hypothesis that TEE would be associated with improved clinical outcomes after CABG surgery.