Transesophageal Echocardiography
Conveniently located to serve Baytown, Mont Belvieu, and Dayton
A transesophageal echocardiogram is a diagnostic test used to view the structures of the beating heart. It helps detect potential heart problems such as blood clots and infections. People who may be in need of transesophageal echocardiography in Baytown can come to Houston Cardiovascular Institute for a safe and accurate test.
What Is Transesophageal Echocardiography?
Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is a test that uses ultrasound technology to diagnose heart problems. It creates a highly detailed image of the heart and its internal structures. The heart expert can detect heart issues using the images from TEE.
Which Heart Issues Can Be Detected with Transesophageal Echocardiography?
There are many heart problems that can be detected using a transesophageal echocardiogram, such as:
- Aortic aneurysm
- Blood clots
- Cardiac tumors
- Congenital heart disease
- Heart valve disease
- Infective endocarditis
- Pericardial disease
What Are the Functions of a Transesophageal Echocardiogram?
TEE is performed when the healthcare provider requires a more detailed visualization of the heart or needs to check for blood clots. If a patient has a life-threatening condition, the healthcare provider will also ask for a TEE.
Transesophageal echocardiography is necessary during catheter-based surgery as a form of real-time imaging assistance. TEE also allows the healthcare provider to verify if a surgery has been successful.
What to Expect During Your TEE Procedure
The TEE procedure can last around 90 minutes. It may require local anesthesia and moderate sedation. An IV will be placed, and a pain-relieving medication will be sprayed towards the back of the patient’s throat.
In this procedure, a transducer is passed through the mouth and into the esophagus, which lies behind the heart. The transducer then sends images of the heart to a monitor. This imaging process is called an echocardiogram. An echocardiogram uses ultrasound waves to create moving pictures of the structures of the heart such as the chambers and valves.
It can also evaluate blood flow and pressures within the heart with a special technique called Doppler Echocardiography.
Contact Us
If you have questions about transesophageal echocardiography in Baytown, visit Houston Cardiovascular Institute. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
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