Acute retinal arteriolar emboli after cardiac catheterization

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE-There are concerns that cardiac catheterization may cause retinal embolization, a risk marker for cerebrovascular emboli and stroke. We describe the incidence of acute retinal embolism after cardiac catheterization. METHODS-One hundred unselected patients attending a tertiary referral center for diagnostic cardiac catheterization were recruited. Digital retinal photography (optic disc and macular fields) was performed precatheterization and within 3 hours postcatheterization. New retinal emboli were identified by a senior researcher and confirmed by a retinal specialist. RESULTS-There was one case of retinal embolus precatheterization. Two patients (incidence 2.02%; 95..