Objective To understand the current status of healthcare-associated infection(HAI)management for transesophageal echocardiography(TEE)examination in China,and provide a scientific basis for formulating guide-lines and standards for infection prevention and control in ultrasound diagnosis and treatment.Methods A stratified sampling survey was conducted in 162 medical institutions(MIs)in 14 provinces(autonomous regions,municipali-ties)in China.A unified questionnaire was designed,and on-site surveys were conducted in the TEE examination room of each MI,with questionnaires filled out based on the results of the on-site survey.Results 162 MIs were surveyed,out of which 114(70.4％)carried out TEE examination.TEE examination was undertaken by ultrasound medicine department(66.7％)and cardiology department(36.0％)in most MIs,and 91.0％of HAI departments had specially-assigned infection prevention and control professional to responsible for the management of HAI rela-ted to examination.32.4％(n=36)of TEE examinations used ultrasound probe isolation sleeves,mainly sterilized isolation membranes.The overall high-level disinfection or sterilization rate of TEE probes was 79.3％,19.8％of MIs chose medium-level disinfection.However,based on the number of equipped probes,the interval between pa-tient examination,and the disinfection method of probes,it was inferred that the proportion of effective high-level disinfection was only 67.6％.The most commonly adopted sterilization,high-level disinfection and medium-low le-vel disinfection methods for probes were low-temperature hydrogen peroxide sterilization,o-phthalaldehyde disinfec-tion and quaternary ammonium wiping disinfection,respectively.92.8％of examination rooms stored the probes in special storages cabinets(boxes)after disinfection.32.4％of examination rooms cleaned and disinfected ultrasound devices other than TEE probe between each patient examination,all were with medium-level disinfection.Most exa-mination rooms equipped complete hand hygiene(HH)facilities and ventilation,59.5％of the operators had the HH compliance rate of more than 90％.The wearing of disposable medical rubber examination gloves and glove changing for each patient was ideal.However,the change of bedding and the change of medical operators'overalls for each patient were not ideal.Conclusion TEE examination is generally carried out in large MIs across the coun-try,but the high-level disinfection rate of TEE probes still needs to be improved,and the appropriate disinfection methods still need further discussion and research.The disinfection awareness of ultrasound devices other than TEE probes still needs to be enhanced,and the compliance of hand hygiene of operators,the awareness of timely chan-ging of bedding of patients'examination beds,and the awareness of changing of overalls of diagnosis and treatment operators need to be enhanced.

Objective To understand the current status of healthcare-associated infection(HAI)management for transesophageal echocardiography(TEE)examination in China,and provide a scientific basis for formulating guide-lines and standards for infection prevention and control in ultrasound diagnosis and treatment.Methods A stratified sampling survey was conducted in 162 medical institutions(MIs)in 14 provinces(autonomous regions,municipali-ties)in China.A unified questionnaire was designed,and on-site surveys were conducted in the TEE examination room of each MI,with questionnaires filled out based on the results of the on-site survey.Results 162 MIs were surveyed,out of which 114(70.4％)carried out TEE examination.TEE examination was undertaken by ultrasound medicine department(66.7％)and cardiology department(36.0％)in most MIs,and 91.0％of HAI departments had specially-assigned infection prevention and control professional to responsible for the management of HAI rela-ted to examination.32.4％(n=36)of TEE examinations used ultrasound probe isolation sleeves,mainly sterilized isolation membranes.The overall high-level disinfection or sterilization rate of TEE probes was 79.3％,19.8％of MIs chose medium-level disinfection.However,based on the number of equipped probes,the interval between pa-tient examination,and the disinfection method of probes,it was inferred that the proportion of effective high-level disinfection was only 67.6％.The most commonly adopted sterilization,high-level disinfection and medium-low le-vel disinfection methods for probes were low-temperature hydrogen peroxide sterilization,o-phthalaldehyde disinfec-tion and quaternary ammonium wiping disinfection,respectively.92.8％of examination rooms stored the probes in special storages cabinets(boxes)after disinfection.32.4％of examination rooms cleaned and disinfected ultrasound devices other than TEE probe between each patient examination,all were with medium-level disinfection.Most exa-mination rooms equipped complete hand hygiene(HH)facilities and ventilation,59.5％of the operators had the HH compliance rate of more than 90％.The wearing of disposable medical rubber examination gloves and glove changing for each patient was ideal.However,the change of bedding and the change of medical operators'overalls for each patient were not ideal.Conclusion TEE examination is generally carried out in large MIs across the coun-try,but the high-level disinfection rate of TEE probes still needs to be improved,and the appropriate disinfection methods still need further discussion and research.The disinfection awareness of ultrasound devices other than TEE probes still needs to be enhanced,and the compliance of hand hygiene of operators,the awareness of timely chan-ging of bedding of patients'examination beds,and the awareness of changing of overalls of diagnosis and treatment operators need to be enhanced.