ATRIAL SEPTAL ANEURYSM DOES NOT PREDISPOSE TO STROKE IN THE IMMEDIATEPOSTOPERATIVE PERIOD FOLLOWING CARDIAC-SURGERY

The postoperative period following cardiac surgery is associated with an. increased incidence of cerebrovascular events. Previous retrospect ive studies have suggested that atrial septal aneurysms (ASAs) are ass ociated with embolic strokes ranging in incidence from 20%-52%. The pu rpose of the study was to investigate whether patients with ASA underg oing cardiac surgery have increased risk for strokes in the immediate postoperative period. Of 1626 consecutive patients undergoing transeso phageal echocardiography during cardiac surgery over a 44-month period , 80 patients were identified to have ASA (incidence 4.9%). Patients w ere followed during their entire hospital stay for development of any neurological event. Any patient with a suspicion of neurological event had a detailed neurological history, examination, and, if necessary, a CT scan or MRI study. Most patients were started on aspirin postoper atively. None of the patients experienced a cerebrovascular event or s ystemic embolization during this period. Thus, the presence of isolate d ASA may not pose an additional risk for cerebrovascular events durin g postoperative period.