Does Preoperative Computed Tomography Angiography Lead to an Increased Incidence of Postoperative Acute Kidney Injury Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation in Patients with Impaired Renal Function?

Abstract

A key factor for the success of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) techniques is the accurate anatomical measurements of the aorta. Dimensions such as the aortic annulus diameter, perimeter, orifice area, and the distance to the coronary orifices or detailed analysis of calcification patterns have a major relevance not only to achieve good operative results, but also to avoid catastrophic, lifethreatening complications during TAVI procedures. The superiority of the computed tomography angiography (CTA) compared to transesophageal echocardiography (TOE) in terms of annulus sizing and post-procedural complications is well documented [1, 2]. At this point, due to the advantages of CTA compared to TOE [3], CTA has become the standard method of evaluation in pre-TAVI procedures [4, 5].