Stroke During Aortic Valve Replacement: An Overview

A stroke is a potential serious complication associated with aortic valve replacement. The latest studies show that temporary or permanent strokes during aortic valve replacement occur in 4 out of 100 procedures. Some of these strokes appear to be caused by a piece of plaque -- which is a piece of calcium or a diseased part of the blood vessel or valve -- that breaks off and travels through the arteries to the brain. When the piece of plaque blocks a small artery in the brain, it prevents blood and oxygen from reaching that area of the brain. The damage that results from the blockage is called a stroke.

 

Your body can be affected in a variety of ways by a stroke, including paralysis, loss of speech, or even loss of life.