Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology ACGME case minimums
Fellows in Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology have a published ACGME minimum in 13 of 17 case categories, and the largest single minimum is 300. Each row below cites the ACGME requirement it was read from; the minimums are effective July 1, 2026.
By Chris, CA-1, anesthesiology
Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology minimums by category
| Category | Fellow participated in the case | Primary anesthesia provider under the supervision of a faculty anesthesiologist | TEE examination the fellow performs under supervision | TEE examination performed and/or reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This must encompass cardiac experience, including a minimum of 100 cardiac surgical procedures with at least 50 requiring CPB. | 100 | — | — | — |
| with at least 50 requiring CPB | 50 | — | — | — |
| These procedures must include a minimum of 30 aortic and/or mitral valve repairs or replacements, consisting of at least 10 mitral repairs or replacements and 10 aortic repairs or replacements and at least 20 requiring CPB. | 30 | — | — | — |
| at least 10 mitral repairs or replacements | 10 | — | — | — |
| 10 aortic repairs or replacements | 10 | — | — | — |
| at least 20 requiring CPB | 20 | — | — | — |
| These procedures must include a minimum of 20 myocardial revascularization procedures with or without CPB. | 20 | — | — | — |
| These procedures must include management of patients undergoing procedures in each of two or more of the following categories: adult correction/revision of congenital cardiac lesions; cardiac and lung transplantation; placement of circulatory assist devices including left heart bypass, ventricular assist devices, intra-aortic balloon pumps, and ECMO; and, electrophysiology procedures requiring general anesthesia. | 2 | — | — | — |
| anesthetic management of at least 15 patients undergoing non-cardiac thoracic surgery, to include procedures involving airway/lung repair, lung resection (open, and/or video-assisted, or robotic, segmentectomy, lobectomy, and pneumonectomy), and esophageal resection/repair | 15 | — | — | — |
| anesthetic management of at least five patients undergoing endovascular and/or open repair of the thoracic aorta, to include the management of CSF drainage | 5 | — | — | — |
| At a minimum, each fellow must perform 35 cases as the primary anesthesia provider under the supervision of a faculty anesthesiologist. | — | 35 | — | — |
| Fellows must have experience with anesthetic management of adult patients for cardiac pacemaker and automatic implantable cardiac defibrillator placement, surgical treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, cardiac catheterization, and cardiac electrophysiologic diagnostic/therapeutic procedures.No published minimum | — | — | — | — |
| Fellows must perform and/or review a minimum of 300 peri-operative TEE examinations such that they meet NBE requirements for certification in advanced peri-operative TEE. | — | — | — | 300 |
| These examinations must include a minimum of 150 examinations that the fellow performs under supervision. | — | — | 150 | — |
| Each fellow must have at least a one-month experience managing adult cardiothoracic surgical patients in a critical care (ICU) setting.No published minimum | — | — | — | — |
| Each fellow must have two clinical elective rotations related to the peri-operative care of cardiothoracic patients, such as mechanical circulatory support, heart failure management, interventional cardiology, advanced cardiac imaging, pediatric cardiac anesthesiology, and cardiac intensive care.No published minimum | — | — | — | — |
| Fellows must attend a minimum of 10 multidisciplinary conferences that are relevant to adult cardiothoracic anesthesiology.No published minimum | — | — | — | — |
An em-dash means the ACGME publishes no minimum on that row — not a minimum of zero.
Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology · ACGME specialty 041 · minimums effective July 1, 2026.
Capnolog counts these live for anesthesiology and neurological surgery; other specialties are reference only.
What counts toward a minimum?
- Fellows log cases into categories the ACGME defines, not by procedure code.
- Each minimum is read in its own column: “Fellow participated in the case”, “Primary anesthesia provider under the supervision of a faculty anesthesiologist”, “TEE examination the fellow performs under supervision” and “TEE examination performed and/or reviewed”.
- 8 rows are drawn from a larger row: those cases count toward that row too, never on top of it.
- 4 rows carry no published number and show an em-dash, which is not a minimum of zero.
- The ACGME Review Committee that accredits Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology programs sets these requirements.
Where do these numbers come from?
- Case Log guidelines, March 2025
- Program Requirements, July 1, 2026
Capnolog is independent of the ACGME. Where a number here and the ACGME's own document disagree, the document is right.