Perioperative Stroke Remains an Underappreciated Cause of Morbidity and Mortality

Abstract

Perioperative strokes have a significant impact on the surgical outcomes and occur more often than recognized. Because surgery and anesthesia are associated with increased risk of strokes, identifying patients at high risk for perioperative strokes is important with advanced age, renal disease, peripheral vascular disease and history of stroke or transient ischemic attack as the most consistent risk factors.