Human Heart Essay

The human heart is one, if not the most, vital organ in the human body. The heart pumps blood through the circulatory system. It is what provides the body with oxygen and nutrients. Of course, without this important, muscular, organ there would be no way to survive. “Everyday your heart beats about 100,000 times, sending 2,000 gallons of blood surging through your body. Although it is no bigger than your fist, your heart has a mighty job of keeping blood flowing through 60,000 miles of blood vessels that feed your organs and tissues” (Watson n.pag.). Any type of damage or restriction to the heart or its valves can reduce pumping. Cardiovascular diseases are examples that cause damage to the heart and blood vessels. Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death globally, accounting for thirty percent of deaths. Since the heart has such an important role in the human body, it is critical that it is functioning and working properly. An important medical test used to observe the heart is called transesophageal echocardiography, also known as TEE. Transesophageal echocardiography produces pictures of the heart. This test uses high-frequency sound waves, such as ultrasound, to make

“Transesophageal scans done in the operating room provide real-time feedback to the surgeon about the health and functioning of the heart and its valves, so that appropriate choice of surgery required may be made at the time of cardiac surgery (hopkinsmedicine.org n.pag.). TEE is most commonly used in open heart surgeries if the patient will allow. It can also be very common in cardiac procedures such as mitral valve repair. During these type of operations, the transesophageal echocardiogram acts as a monitoring tool for the surgeons. It can be used immediately after procedures to make sure everything went as