Complications in patients after percutaneous aortic valve replacement

Objective: Identify the profile of patients undergoing percutaneous aortic valve replacement and check the main complications after the implantation, as well as the associated comorbidities and death. Methods: This is a retrospective and quantitative study carried out at a Public Institution in the city of Sao Paulo. The inclusion criterion was patients undergoing percutaneous aortic valve replacement at Institution department of hemodynamics from 2009 to 2012. Our baseline sample consisted of 85 patients. We excluded 14 patients who underwent the implant in the hybrid operating room, which could present discrepancy between the results. Thus, from our sample of 71 patients, data collection was possible only on 65 individuals, because some of the medical records were not available at the time of collection. Results: Patients' profiles were elderly, with a mean age of 82 +/- 6.9 years, female, widowed, with low education, and retired. During implantation, arrhythmias were the major complication. In the immediate postoperative period, the most prevalent complications were vascular injury, psychomotor agitation, and confusional state. In late post-implantation, complications were vascular injury, skin injury by medical adhesive tape, hyperglycemia, loss of temporary pacemaker, 21.5% of the patients died. Conclusion: The adoption of this new technology should be consolidated for elderly patients with formal contraindications to conventional surgery with the improvement of the implantation technique, better selection of candidates, and decrease of mortality.