Stroke after cardiac surgery preventive and treatment strategies: The role of endovascular interventions

A stroke is one of the most devastating complications of cardiac surgery with significant impact on morbidity and mortality. In-hospital mortality of patients who suffer from stroke after cardiac surgery has been found to be significantly higher than in patients not experiencing stroke after cardiac surgery. Only 78% of patients who experience a stroke following CABG will survive for one year, and 54% of them for 5 years after surgery. The economic impact of stroke associated with cardiac surgery is estimated to exceed 2 to 4 billion annually. Therefore, risk factor stratification should play a significant role in patient selection. Cardiac and cerebrovascular disease prevention must become a priority in the long term and development of new treatments is a necessity in the short-term. This book reviews current research of the complication of suffering from a stroke after cardiac surgery.