Cerebral thromboembolic complications associated with the use of a nonionic contrast medium in coronary angiography.

Cerebrovascular complications were registered in 11 patients (0.21%) of 5,339, consecutively submitted to coronary angiography with the nonionic contrast medium iohexol (Omnipaque). Six of the patients had diseases predisposing them to thromboembolic complications, 3 of whom earlier had symptoms of cerebral stroke. Excluding these 6, the incidence of cerebral thromboembolic events was 0.10% in patients with no predisposing diseases. Precise catheterization technique and some anticoagulation and antiplatelet activity therapy are definite precautions against these complications, while the role of the contrast medium is still debated.