Transoesophageal echocardiography for non-cardiac anaesthesiologists: The Dresden Model

The transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has gained increasing importance in perioperative and critical care settings. TEE is not only a monitoring tool for cardiovascular function in the perioperative period and for the critical care patient, but is also helpful for device guidance during cardiac and vascular procedures. In hospitals without cardiac surgery, access to effective TEE training might be difficult for anaesthesiologists. The following article covers one option of a regional university-affiliated TEE training programme for non-cardiac ana esthesiologists in a cardiac surgical, acute and ICU setting.