Cerebral protection devices for transcatheter aortic valve implantation

Ever since the publication of the PARTNER trials, the spotlight has turned to neurologic events during transcatheter aortic valve i mplantation ( TAVI). Recently published long-term follow-up data mitigated the initial concerns, however, stroke prevention during TAVI remains an important issue. This review article focuses on the currently available cerebral protection devices for TAVI and puts them in perspective of the overall “stroke issue”. Cerebral protection devices either deflect emboli (Embrella, EDD) or capture them (Claret, EmbolX). In TAVI, only first-in-human studies with those devices are currently published, with all of them showing technical feasibility. Larger trials are underway and will shed light on the role of cerebral protection devices during TAVI and their clinical impact on preventing neurologic events.