The Particulars: Use of embolic protection during transcatheter aortic-valve implantation (TAVI) involves placing a proximal embolic filter in the brachiocephalic artery and a distal embolic filter in the left common carotid artery. It is not well known if using embolic protection during TAVI enhances outcomes when compared with TAVI alone in high-risk patients with aortic stenosis.
Data Breakdown: For a study, 50 patients with aortic stenosis underwent TAVI with embolic protection and 50 underwent TAVI without it. At both 2 and 7 days, statistically significantly fewer lesions were detected in those undergoing TAVI with embolic protection. The difference remained significant when research looked at the entire region of the brain analyzed, not just the protected region. Lesion volume was also significantly smaller in patients receiving embolic protection.
Take Home Pearl: In patients with aortic stenosis, using embolic protection during TAVI appears to significantly reduce the number and volume of cerebral lesions when compared with performing these procedures without embolic protection.
