Hospital Expands Services with Transesophageal Echocardiography

Imaging service finds problems with heart’s structure and function

Farmington¾

 

Franklin Memorial Hospital (FMH) in partnership with Maine Medical Partners MaineHealth Cardiology is providing a new diagnostic service for patients called transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). TEE uses high-frequency sound waves to make detailed pictures of the heart and the arteries that lead to and from it. A TEE is performed when a standard echocardiogram isn’t clear enough to make a diagnosis.

 

A doctor may recommend a TEE for several reasons such as: finding a possible reason for a stroke; trying to find a small hole between the upper chambers of the heart; making sure there are no blood clots in the heart; looking for infections in the heart; and making sure that the wall of the aorta is not damaged.

 

At Franklin Memorial Hospital, cardiologist Dr. Lesley West performs TEE in the Intensive Care Unit for those patients who are already in the hospital for treatment, and in the Day Surgery Unit as an outpatient procedure. The procedure involves placing a long tube in the patient’s esophagus. It is performed under sedation and takes 30 to 60 minutes to complete.

 

“We are pleased to add this new specialty service for the convenience of our patients,” said Rebecca Arsenault, FMH president/CEO. “Previously the 50 or so individuals needing this service each year traveled to Augusta or Lewiston for the procedure.”

 

Dr. West received her medical degree with cum laude honors at Georgetown University School of Medicine and later completed her residency in internal medicine and a three-year cardiology fellowship at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. She is board-certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease.

 

For additional information contact Kim Turner, FMH imaging director, at 779-2377.