Intracardiac echocardiography use in children.

In their article, Bartel et al1 demonstrate the superiority of intracardiac echocardiography over conventional transesophageal echocardiography in guiding device closure of atrial septal defects (ASDs) and patent foramen ovale (PFO).1 ASDs and PFOs can be successfully closed in children under transesophageal echocardiography guidance.2,3 Because the authors have not provided the reader with the age of their patients, one is left to presume that the study was carried out in adults (from the 11F sheath used). Hence, their study may not demonstrate that intracardiac echocardiography monitoring can be safely and successfully used in children for device closure of ASDs and PFOs.