Cardioversions and Transthoracic Echocardiography

Patients with atrial fibrillation and flutter routinely require transesophageal echocardiography with cardioversion. It is not uncommon to encounter patients with reduced ejection fractions, coronary artery disease, prior cardiac surgery, or obstructive sleep apnea. The anesthesiologist must carefully evaluate the patient and any available laboratory and study findings to assess for potential complications after anesthesia. Appropriate anesthetics must be chosen based on the preoperative evaluation. Additionally, because most of these cases are done without a secured airway, emergency medications and airway equipment must be readily available.