Disadvantages
- TEE requires a fasting patient. The patient must follow the ASA NPO guidelines (i.e. usually not eat anything for six hours and not drink anything for two hours prior to the procedure.)
- Requires a team of medical personnel
- Takes longer to perform than TTE
- May be uncomfortable for the patient
- May require sedation or general anesthesia
- There are some risks associated with the procedure (esophageal perforation—1 in 10,000, and adverse reactions to the medication.)
Read more about this topic: Transesophageal Echocardiogram