Cerebral microemboli and acute cerebral ischemic symptoms in patients with prosthetic heart valves

Prosthetic heart valves is known as a common reason of cardioembolic stroke. Cerebral microemboli are often detected by transcranial Doppler in mechanical valves patients, but the real clinical significance of such microembil is still unclear. The aim of our study was to determine the frequency, composition of cerebral microemboli in prosthetic heart valves and their clinical significance. MES were detected in 51% prosthetic heart valves patients, but the majority of them (91%) had gaseous origin. The presence of solid microemboli in conjunction with previous ishemic stroke and/or TIA were the predictors of acute cerebral embolic events.