Objectives

Patients receiving transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) are elderly with multiple comorbidities and at increased risk of perioperative cerebrovascular events. Retinal vasculature represents a surrogate of central nervous system circulation and is noninvasively achievable by retinal imaging. The aim of this study was to evaluate the applicability of retinal angiography of microvascular complications and association to cerebral ischemic events during TAVI.

Design

One hundred patients (male 54%, age: median 82 years, range 64–95 years) undergoing TAVI were recruited for this study. Imaging of retinal vasculature was evaluated with a handheld fundus camera before, during and 1 month after. Cerebrovascular events were determined as a part of contemporary clinical evaluation with cerebral CT and CTA imaging when symptoms occurred.

Results

Altogether 66/100 patients (66%) were included in the analysis. In-hospital ischemic event (transient ischemic attack, cerebral infarction) was observed in 1/66 patient (1.5%). Retinal vascular abnormalities occurred in 8/66 patients (12.1%); 4/66 patients (6.1%) were detected with a cholesterol plaque in the retinal artery, 2/66 (3%) a capillary leakage, 1/66 (1.5%) and optic disk hemorrhage and 1/66 (1.5%) a macular bleeding. No significant association between retinal vasculature abnormalities and cerebrovascular events was detected mainly due to the low event rate.

Conclusions

Perioperative evaluation of cerebrovascular ischemia with noninvasive imaging of retinal vasculature is possible in most patients undergoing TAVI. More data is needed to evaluate the association of cerebrovascular events and retinal microvascular abnormalities during the procedure.