Incidence and frequency of cerebral embolic signals in patients with a similar bileaflet mechanical heart valve.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and frequency of cerebral embolic signals in a patient population with the same mechanical heart valve using transcranial Doppler examination. Furthermore, it aimed to identify patient and valve characteristics that correlated with the occurrence of these signals.

METHODS

Ninety-two patients with Carbomedics valves and 15 healthy control subjects took part in the study. Thirty-six patients were examined before and immediately after valve implantation (group 1), 34 patients 1 year after surgery (group 2), and 22 patients 5 years after surgery (group 3). Cerebral embolic signals were detected using transcranial Doppler monitoring of the right middle cerebral artery.

RESULTS

Asymptomatic cerebral embolic signals were detected in 87% of the total 92 patients, in 77.8% of group 1 patients, in 91.2% of group 2 patients, and in 95.5% of group 3 patients. No cerebral embolic signals were detected in group 1 patients before surgery or in control subjects. The incidence (P = .04) and frequency (P = .002) of cerebral embolic signals increased significantly with longer duration of valve implantation. A significant positive correlation was also found between frequency of cerebral embolic signals and valve size (r = .4326, P = .00001). Median frequency of embolic signals in patients with a history suggestive of cerebrovascular events (n = 14) was 60 signals per hour compared with 11 signals per hour in those with no such history (n = 42; P = .04).

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence and frequency of cerebral embolic signals increased with the duration of valve implantation. The frequency of these signals also was dependent on valve size. Patients who had experienced cerebrovascular symptoms had a higher frequency of cerebral embolic signals compared with those with no such signals. These results should be interpreted with caution but suggest that this method could be of help in assessing the risk of stroke in prosthetic heart valve patients and that prospective clinical studies should now be carried out.