Transesophageal Echocardiography: Essential Views

The use of a noncomprehensive basic perioperative transesophageal echocardiographic (PTE) examination, both for intraoperative monitoring and outside of the operating room, is increasing in practice. Cardiac causes of hemodynamic instability, such as ventricular dysfunction, valvular abnormalities, volume status changes, and pericardial abnormalities can be identified with the basic PTE examination. A basic PTE exam is intended to be complementary to comprehensive echocardiography, and thus the practitioner must also recognize when further investigation of an abnormality by an echocardiographer with advanced imaging skills may be required. While the consensus statement of the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) and Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists (SCA) identifies 11 views for the basic PTE examination, the additional 9 views that comprise the comprehensive examination will also be discussed for completeness.