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What Happens During the Test?
TEE is performed at a hospital,
clinic, or test center, often as an outpatient. When you arrive
for the test, you will change into a hospital gown, and then be
taken to the procedure room.
You'll be asked to lie on your left side.
Your throat is sprayed with an anesthetic to numb it. You
may be given a low dose of a sedative through the IV line in your
arm, to help you relax. You may also be given antibiotics,
to help prevent an infection.
The doctor gently inserts the probe into your
mouth. As you swallow, the tube is slowly directed into the
esophagus. You may gag when the probe first enters the esophagus,
and you may feel the probe moving, but the procedure is generally
not painful.
The transducer is positioned in the esophagus
just behind the heart, where high quality images can be recorded.
With the help of control knobs, the doctor can move the tip of the
probe up and down, and sideways. This makes it possible to
view various parts of the heart from different angles.
Your heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen level
are carefully monitored throughout the test. Suction may be
needed to clear secretions from your mouth. You may also be
given oxygen.
The test usually takes between 15 and 20 minutes.
You should allow one to two hours from your arrival to the time
you can leave.
After Your TEE
If you are given a sedative, have someone drive you home.
Don't drive for 12 hours.
Do not eat or drink for about an hour, or
until your throat is no longer numb.
After the test, your throat may be slightly
sore. If so, you may soothe it with cold drinks and lozenges
(once the hour has passed).
Be sure to report unusual symptoms, such
as difficulty in swallowing, shortness of breath, chest pain, bleeding
or fever.
Is the TEE Safe?
The TEE is a procedure that requires the insertion of a probe
into the body, it therefore has some risk. The risk is
small, however, and the TEE is considered a relatively safe
procedure.
Possible complications may include: breathing
problems, abnormal heart rhythms, infection of the heart valves,
reaction to sedatives, and bleeding. Rarely, the TEE
may cause perforation (piercing) of the esophagus. To learn
about your particular risk, discuss the matter with your
doctor.
What Are the Benefits?
The Tee provides images of the heart that often are much clearer
than with a standard echocardiogram. The information gained
from the TEE test helps your doctor make an accurate diagnosis and
develop a treatment plan that's best for you.
Your Test Results
The doctor conducting the test may be able to give you preliminary
test results before your leave. Or your own doctor will discuss
the test results with you during a future office visit.
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