Just come back from hospital after having a TOE (Trans-Oesophoegeal Echocardiogram) and the "mass" they found was benign. Not a clot as suspected from first echo. A small "artefact" of tissue - not causing any issues. All else fine too, structurally heart in good condition. To say I'm overjoyed is an utter understatement! An exceptional team of nurses and the consultant who carried out the procedure was brilliant, straight talking and explained everything perfectly. Can immediately stop the blood thinners but remain on Bisoprolol for the condition of Atrial Flutter. He said I'm an ideal candidate for a CA (Catheter Ablation) and the success rate for this procedure is very high. I'll be referred for this at a later date. Otherwise, general advice: eat healthily, exercise, minimal alcohol.
To add re: sedation before TOE: sedation IS optional. They prefer you have it because many people can not tolerate having the "stalk" inserted far down into the gullet. The only reason I didn't have it was I had nobody taking me home and they advise somebody physically takes you home because the sedation can cause temp confusion, i.e. may get on wrong bus etc! Also you can't drive or operate anything for 24hrs after. But if you're fit and well, I'd recommend you go without sedation if you're having this procedure. They did have a cannular inserted ready, should I need a shot of sedative. Yes it is uncomfortable and there's a little pain if the scanning head is rotated right round, but the consultant reassured me and told me I handled it very well indeed.
Best wishes!
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Excellent ! Like most of these things, it is the fear of the unknown that can be preoccupying. As you know, I didn't opt for the sedative either and it was fine. By all accounts some patients can 'kick off' a bit at the beginning of the procedure so the staff encourage having the sedative so as to reduce those occasions.
I also had a follow up C. Ablation a few months later and that was carried out 6 months before the closure device was fitted for the Atrial Septum hole.
You are in excellent hands and although the ablations are normally carried out under local anaesthetic (so you are awake) that procedure is also okay.
I was under the unit at Southampton.
I am mildly intrigued which hospital you are treated at?
Hi Ed, thanks for your reply. I've been treated at UHND (University Hospital North Durham). A lovely team of staff there working in the Cardiac Day Unit.
Did you have a little soreness in your gullet the next day? There was one point where the consultant must have swivelled the scanning head by 180 degrees or something because that hurt a bit! He also pushed it down into the stomach to check it out. Really reassuring and humbling to know they've done a very thorough job of examining the heart this way.
This is a compendium reply to both of your post in response to mine:1) I was very impressed with Southampton Cardiac Unit and ALL of the staff - I have visited on a few occasions now and so I didn't just strike lucky and hit them on a good day.
The head 'honcho' Mr Salmon, apart from being a lovely chap, is a splendid leader of a well selected team.
I guess most large Cardiac Day Units are similarly staffed . . . . . Durham sounds it anyhow.
My local hospital's unit is not quite the same story though. The NHS is a wonderful asset.
2) No, I experienced no painful or sensitivity post T.O.E procedure. The cardiologist did perform the last part of the imaging process by 'bottoming out' (if you will) the probe to the stomach. I may be wrong but I am of the understanding it is to have some sort of reference point to maybe measure from . . . . . . . . could be miles from the truth.
3) Never heard of 'artefact' in medical parlance - was it used pre or post T.O.E?
The O.E.Dictionary's definition is - 'something observed in a scientific investigation or experiment that is not naturally present but occurs as a result of the preparative or investigative procedure.'
So, if it was mentioned pre- T.O.E I would have thought it should have been qualified as a 'potential artefact' . . . . . . and if so it would/could understandably be worrying to the layman's ear/mind.
Years ago I had a similar experience when 'echoes' threw up an incorrect wave pattern on an ECG. A private consultant explained it then but didn't use the word artefact in his diagnosis . . . . . . mistake I thought he said.
Glad the 'artefact' was benign - must be a relief.
Best wishes for any ablation. Mine did the trick for the tachycardia episodes that became more common. Ed.
Hi Ed, thanks for your splendidly written and humorous reply! As the consultant was doing the TOE, he kept mentioning the term "artefact" to the other clinicians and sought their agreement in the end. So he only used the term during the TOE when they could see for sure it wasn't a blood clot. And yes, the OED's definition is exactly correct (unsurprisingly). Thanks again for your support! Best wishes.
I'd like to add to this - the "artefact" the consultant mentioned, which was the main reason for having the TOE as they found this on the chest echo - turns out this is caused by interference of the sound waves during a scan because echo-cardiograms use sound waves to bounce off solid structures - the returning sound waves are then processed by the imaging equipment. There's nothing physically there, but it's vital to check because the interference patterns can strongly mimic things like blood clots. I'd got it in my head he meant an artefact as in tissue but this is not the case. I'm not surprised he didn't explain what exactly was because it's highly technical, but a little research myself afterwards made it clear.
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