Silent cerebral lesions

Incidence and causes of silent and symptomatic stroke following

surgical and transcatheter aortic valve replacement:

a comprehensive review.

"Silent cerebral lesions were detected in 68–93% after TAVR and 38–54% after SAVR. A broader application of cerebral protection devices may help to reduce embolic cerebral events."

Interactive CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery 23 (2016) 469–476

Stephanie Grabert*, Rüdiger Lange and Sabine Bleiziffer

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, German Heart Center Munich, Clinic at the Technical University, Munich, Germany

"Stroke associated with aortic valve replacement in calcific aortic stenosis, either via transcatheter implantation (TAVR) or via surgical replacement (SAVR), is one of the most devastating complications. However, data concerning the clinical impact and incidence of clinical and silent stroke complicating SAVR and TAVR are varying. This comprehensive review of the literature explores the genuine incidence of neurological events after these procedures. Additionally, potential factors responsible for the discrepancies in stroke rates in the current literature are analysed and a lack of uniform neurological definitions and standardized neurological assessments revealed. Current stroke rates after TAVR show a decline from 7 to 1.7–4.8% in recent studies. Randomized studies comparing TAVR with SAVR yielded initially a significantly higher stroke rate after TAVR procedures as opposed to SAVR. Recently published data showed opposite results with strokes being higher following SAVR. Current data concerning stroke after surgical valve replacement report significantly higher rates of clinical strokes (17%) than previously mentioned in the literature (≤4.9%). Silent cerebral lesions were detected in 68–93% after TAVR and 38–54% after SAVR. A broader application of cerebral protection devices may help to reduce embolic cerebral events.