Multiple watershed and cardioembolic strokes in 84-year-old male after cardiac ablation procedure: Case report

Current guidelines do not include radiologic assessment of the carotid arteries before catheter ablation procedures. There are multiple studies describing the risks of periprocedural cardioembolic strokes during cardiac ablation procedure but none describing the risks of periprocedural watershed strokes due to hypoperfusion during cardiac ablation. It is critically important for neurologists, cardiologists, and all other associated health-care workers to recognize the risks of neurologic complications, such as watershed strokes, before cardiac procedures are performed. We are presenting an 84-year-old male who presented to the emergency room with complaints of vision changes after a cardiac ablation procedure for atrial fibrillation. He described spotty vision with decreased visual acuity in both eyes. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed multiple strokes bilaterally. Based on the radiologic features, all the strokes happened at approximately the same time. Of note, subsequent computed tomography angiography of the head and neck showed 65%–70% bilateral stenosis of the internal carotid arteries.