The Use and Outcomes of Cerebral Protection Devices for Patients Undergoing Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Clinical Practice

Objectives: This study hypothesized that cerebral protection prevents strokes in patients undergoing transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in clinical practice.

Background: Preventing strokes is an important aim in TAVR procedures. Embolic protection devices may protect against cardiac embolism during TAVR, but their use and outcomes in clinical practice remain controversial.

Methods: Isolated transfemoral TAVR procedures performed in Germany with or without cerebral protection devices were extracted from a comprehensive nationwide billing dataset.

Results: A total of 41,654 TAVR procedures performed between 2015 and 2017 were analyzed. The overall share of procedures incorporating cerebral protection devices was 3.8%. Patients receiving cerebral protection devices were at increased operative risk (European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation score 13.8 vs. 14.7; p < 0.001) but of lower age (81.1 vs. 80.6 years; p = 0.001). To compare outcomes that may be related to the use of cerebral protection devices, a propensity score comparison was performed. The use of a cerebral protection device did not reduce the risk for stroke (adjusted risk difference [aRD]: +0.88%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.07% to 1.83%; p = 0.069) or the risk for developing delirium (aRD: +1.31%; 95% CI: -0.28% to 2.89%; p = 0.106) as a sign of acute brain failure. Although brain damage could not be prevented, in-hospital mortality was lower in the group receiving a cerebral protection device (aRD: -0.76%; 95% CI: -1.46% to -0.06%; p = 0.034).

Conclusions: In this large national database, cerebral embolic protection devices were infrequently used during TAVR procedures. Device use was associated with lower mortality but not a reduction in stroke or delirium. Future studies are needed to confirm these findings.