Wondering about TEE?

[Marge]

I have been diagnosed with mitral regurgitation since October 2003, but I haven't had a TEE. The invasive cardiologist who did my catheritization suggested one, but when I saw my regular cardio he said he'd let the surgeon decide whether I should have one. When I saw the surgeon back in December he said he wanted a CTscan but said nothing about a TEE. (CTscan is now set for Jan. 30.) I asked him about that and he said something like, If we want one we'll do it at the hospital. I am seeing him again for a final pre-surgery consult on Feb. 6, with pre-op scheduled Feb. 10 and surgery on Feb. 12. His nurse told me that the pre-op would be "blood tests and a chest X-ray." I was wondering whether most of you had had TEE's before the surgery? What would be the reasons not to do one?

 

[dawnwit15]

TEE

TEE

Marge
last year I had a mitral valvuloplasty done (balloon) procedure, because of my anxiety, they did the TEE the same day as the surgery while under anesthesia.
Last week during my valve repair, they did a TEE after the surgery while I was still under anestesia just to get a more accurate measurement of the opening of the valve. Maybe they will do it once your under anesthesia if at all. Don't worry if they choose not to, it's just another mechanism to obtain information which they may already have regarding your heart's condition.
I am so glad to hear that you have found peace, it is so crucially important to go into surgery with a positive attitude. Stay positive.
Talk to you soon
dawnwit15

 

[Nancy]

Like Dawn said, most times they do several during the surgical procedure. In addition to viewing the valves, they have to check all the pressures.

 

[labguides]

TEE

TEE

Our daughter's TEE's were done pre-surgery and post-surgery, the same time as the surgery.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Hello Marge,

A TEE is often requested when the Cardio is still trying to decide IF / WHEN to do surgery. Since you are already scheduled for surgery, my guess is they don't feel they need any further charification before the fact. As others have indicated, they *may* do one (or more) just prior to, or during, or after surgery, or all three.

'AL'

 

[Marge]

<< Since you are already scheduled for surgery, my guess is they don't feel they need any further charification before the fact. >>

Yeah, that's what I figured too. I don't care one way or the other. Whatever they need to do -- that has become my philosophy at this point. I was just kind of wondering why they never thought they needed one.

The only person to suggest a TEE was the invasive cardiologist, right after the cath. Maybe she was just covering her bases. Of the doctors I've seen she was also the one who seemed the least convinced that valve surgery might actually help me very much. When she talked to me & my husband after the cath she stopped just short of pouring cold water on the whole idea. Both my husband and I went home with the idea there wasn't going to be much I could expect except to go on taking my beta blocker and hope to get a little better or at least not any worse too soon. I was totally surprised when my regular cardio, when I saw him shortly after the catheterization, immediately sent me to the surgeon; even more surprised when the surgeon immediately said he could & would do a repair.

I still do wonder, sometimes, what the invasive cardio saw that made her so dubious about the idea of surgery.

 

[Bryan B]

Marge,

My cardio suggested a TEE and sent me to a CV surgeon the same day. he recommended surgery. I asked about getting the TEE first and he said they would do that in the operating room. I didn't understand what this meant so I researched it a bit. Apparently they insert the TEE before surgery after you are under so they can get a good view of the heart before and during surgery, then they take it out at the end of surgery. My cardio office called back to see if I had scheduled my TEE yet and I told them what the CV surgeon said. Apparently there was no communication between the two. I've also decided to have my surgery at Duke instead of in Nashville. I have been trying all week to get my cardio to refer me to someone from Duke with no response for 3 days. I'm getting frustrated. If I gotta have this thing I want to keep things moving. I don't handle the waiting very well.

Just a side note, the cardio said I would be sedated for the TEE which made me feel better about the prospects of getting one.

 

[Johnny Stephens]

I had no TEE prior to going into the operating room. They did mine after I was sedated, when I was far off in la-la land. That's when they found out my mitral valve was also shot, and that they'd have to do 2 valves. That was considered "very unlikely" beforehand.

 

[fisher6476]

I haq a TEE prior to surgery. My understand is that if tests still leave some question as to what is going on, or in what direction to procceed the the TEE is done before hand. I remember when my cardiologist was trying to diagnose me, he said he was pretty sure he knew what was going on but was not 100%. So he scheduled Catheterization and one of his colleagues asked him if he was going to do TEE first. He said no I want to see the results of the cath, then if neccessary we will do th TEE. After the cath, DR told me that my arteries were clear but that the valve was so bad that he could not cross it with the Catheter. So he still did not have as clear of a picture as he wanted so we scheduled the TEE. At that point we knew we were headed toward surgery. After the TEE the Cardio said "now I think I've I godd really good pictures for the surgeon AND we have discovered you also have an anuerysm. So I think the TEE and when and iff it is scheduled is only another diagnostic tool that may differ from patient to patient.