First of all Glad your back! You to a T described AFib... The Procedure you had was a Trans Esophageal Echocardiography (TEE). This is a non invasive ultrasound Probe about 3 feet long that passes down your esophagus. It is high resolution ultrasound that we use in Cardiac cases and Open Heart procedures. It gives beautiful high resolution images of your heart, valves and the most important thing for people in AFib. That is the Left Atrial Apendage (LAA) This is like a little cul de sac that has no anatomical value, its just there, but in low flow situations (AFib).. Clots begin to form. They have to confirm the status of the LAA before Cardioversion. If you are Cardioverted with a clot in the LAA and there is a clot, you will 100% kick that clot out.... You know the rest....
If we find a clot there are several things we do... Warfarin, or a new cath procedure where we place a device that can occlude the clot called a Watchman device. The Watchman device is implanted and it stays with you forever. Then Cardioverting back to a normal sinus rhythm can be achieved...
You will get stronger each day!
Glad I didn't screw up on the description of A-Fib.
I had heard the "TEE" and the technical description of Trans Esophageal Echocardiography, but could not remember it.
And anyway, I try not to outstrip my limited knowledge of things.
And, NO sign or discussion of Ventricular Fibrillation which I understand is far more serious
