[The role of transesophageal echocardiography in the assessment of the embolic risk during infective endocarditis: a critical review].

Embolic events are a frequent and life-threatening complication of infective endocarditis. This review is focused on the role of echocardiography, especially transesophageal echocardiography, in predicting embolic events and in the clinical and therapeutic management of patients with infective endocarditis.