Canadian guidelines for training in adult perioperative transesophageal echocardiography. Recommendations of the Cardiovascular Section of the Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society and the Canadian Society of Echocardiography.

Purpose: To establish Canadian guidelines for training in adult perioperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE).

Methods: Guidelines were established by the Canadian Perioperative Echocardiography Group with the support of the cardiovascular section of the Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society in conjunction with the Canadian Society of Echocardiography. Guidelines for training in echocardiography by the American Society of Echocardiography, the American College of Cardiology and the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists were reviewed, modified and expanded to produce the 2003 Quebec expert consensus for training in perioperative echocardiography. The Quebec expert consensus and the 2005 guidelines for the provision of echocardiography in Canada formed the basis of the Canadian training guidelines in adult perioperative TEE.

Results: Basic, advanced and director levels of expertise were identified. The total number of echocardiographic examinations to achieve each level of expertise remains unchanged from the 2002 American Society of Echocardiography and the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists guidelines. The increased proportion of examinations personally performed at basic and advanced levels, as well as the level of autonomy at the basic level suggested by the Quebec expert consensus are retained. These examinations may be performed in a perioperative setting and are not limited to intraoperative TEE. Training 'on-the-job', the role of the perioperative TEE examination, the requirements for maintenance of competence and the duration of training are also discussed for each level of training. The components of a TEE report and comprehensive TEE examination are also outlined.

Conclusion: The Canadian guidelines for training in adult perioperative TEE reflect the unique Canadian practice profile in perioperative TEE and address the training requirements to obtain expertise in this field.