CEREBRAL THROMBOEMBOLIC COMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF A NONIONIC CONTRAST-MEDIUM IN CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY

Cerebrovascular complications were registered in 11 patients (0.21%) o f 5339, consecutively submitted to coronary angiography with the nonio nic contrast medium iohexol (Omnipaque). Six of the patients had disea ses predisposing them to thromboembolic complications, 3 of whom earli er had symptoms of cerebral stroke. Excluding these 6, the incidence o f cerebral thromboembolic events was 0.10% in patients with no predisp osing diseases. Precise catheterization technique and some anticoagula tion and antiplatelet activity therapy are definite precautions agains t these complications, while the role of the contrast medium is still debated.