I have a package of functions that return data from a SqlServer database through a link.
Usually the results are just displayed in optional fields on a web page or client program.

They take the form of:

function get_info(ar_key number) 
return varchar2 as
   v_return varchar2(256);
begin
   select "info"
     into v_return
     from "table"@foreignsqldb
    where "key" = ar_key;
   return v_return;
exception
   when no data found
      return '';
end;

These functions used to return from an Oracle database.
But because it's now sql I worry about orphaned transactions locking things over there.
I know pragma autonomous_transaction has a bad rep, but would this be a valid use for it:

function get_info(ar_key number) 
return varchar2 as
   pragma autonomous_transaction;
   v_return varchar2(256);
begin
   select "info"
     into v_return
     from "table"@foreignsqldb
    where "key" = ar_key;
   rollback; 
   return v_return;
exception
   when no data found
      rollback;
      return '';
end;

TIA