What are the risks of transesophageal echocardiography?
Transesophageal echocardiography may cause gagging and discomfort when the transducer is passed down into the throat. Patients may also experience sore throat for a few days after the test. In rare cases, the procedure may cause bleeding or perforation of the esophagus or an inflammatory condition known as infective endocarditis. The patient may have an adverse reaction to the sedative or local anesthetic. Source: The Gale Group. Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, 3rd ed.
