Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography:: Guidelines for anesthesiologist training

Transesophageal echocardiography has demonstrated to be a very useful technique in the operating room. Although cardiologists are responsible for the performance and interpretation of conventional echocardiographic studies, anesthesiologists should have an active role in the intraoperative studies, because of their indispensable role in the operating room and their responsibility for the evaluation and treatment of perioperative complications. The increasing practice of intraoperative echocardiography in Spain, mainly due to the interest of anesthesiologists and cardiac surgeons, and the lack of recommendations for an adequate training in transesophageal echocardiography oriented to the anesthesiologist, has prompted the creation of a Joint Task Force including members of the Sections of Echocardiography and Cardiothoracic Surgery of the Spanish Societies of Cardiology and Anesthesia, respectively. The Task Force has drawn up a set of guidelines focused on the training of anesthesiologists in intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography, with the ultimate goal of stimulating cooperation between anesthesiologists, cardiologists and surgeons in the surgical area.