My mother has to go for a test called a TEE to check the condition of her mitral valve. SHe is getting the test on Tuesday (April 1) and is told that she will have to swallow a "probe". What is it and what is the purpose of it?? On wikipedia, there are so many things listed under probe:
robotic probe
probe card
test probe
SS7 probe
Hybridization probe
a class of surgical instruments|||great question!
T.E.E. stands for Trans-Esophageal Electrocardiogram... it's for, as you said, the cardiologist to get a better look at your mom's heart. When doing Trans-Throasic Echocardiograms (across the chest wall), the image is not as clear, and the radiologist can't get as clear of a picture-- in the TEE your mom will get, they'll actually put something down her esophagus (so she'll have to swallow it) and there it will stay, briefly, while they get the image they need... it shouldn't be incredibly uncomfortable, and as far as I know it doesn't hurt... its very minimally invasive.
has she had a mitral valve replacement yet? If so was it a prosthetic or bio-prosthetic? I'd be happy to talk sometime with you about the anticoagulation therapy that is necessary to go along with each of those- I've worked in several coagulation-clinics- feel free to email me if you have any more questions...|||Hi! I had this done recently. First they swab the throat with a numbing agent to stop your gag reflex. Then you are sedated through an IV, but still a little bit awake. A long tube (the probe) has a camera in it -- the cardiologist guides it through your mouth and into the esophagus as you swallow. You are sedated a bit more and don't remember much of the procedure. It is an ultrasound much closer to your heart than a regular ECHO test, so the MD can see the valves much better and check the blood regurgitation.
Best of luck to your Mom--she'll do fine!
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