TOE: the eye behind the heart

Using an ultrasound probe in the oesophagus, certain areas of the heart can be better visualised than with an external examination (trans-thoracic echocardiography, TTE) due to the anatomical proximity to the heart. Bones and lungs do not affect the image quality, so that typical questions such as the function of the heart valves, heart valve inflammations, blood clots in the atrial appendage or defects in the septum between the atria or the ventricles can usually be answered reliably.

Since the end of 2000, the Institute of Anaesthesiology at the German Heart Centre Munich has been one of the first test centres of the German Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (DGAI) to obtain the certificate “TOE in Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine”. Due to the new conception of the courses on “Perioperative Focused Echocardiography” by the DGAI, we have fundamentally revised and adapted the TOE Basic Course (now Module 3) and the TOE Advanced Course (now Module 4) according to the specifications.

Modules 3 and 4, which have been offered since 2020, are certified by the DGAI and contain extensive practical exercises in addition to the theoretical learning content: in small groups of a maximum of 4 participants, examinations are both presented in the cardiac surgery operating theatre and trained independently on the simulator (CAE Vimedix®). In addition, in the advanced course, special measurement procedures are demonstrated on case studies in the EchoPAC® software (GE Healthcare) and carried out independently.