The EmBlocker: Efficiency of a New Ultrasonic Embolic Protection Device Adjunctive to Heart Valve Surgery

Purpose. Perioperative cerebral microemboli in cardiac surgery are associated with postoperative neurologic complications. The EmBlocker (Neurosonix Ltd, Rehovot, Israel), a newly developed device should be positioned against the ascending aorta, and it produces an ultrasonic force expected to divert microemboli away from the cerebral vasculature and reduce cerebral emboli.

Description. Twenty-one consecutive patients, undergoing a valve procedure, were enrolled into this nonrandomized pilot study. The EmBlocker (Neurosonix Ltd) was positioned in 11 consecutive patients and activated for 1 minute (1.5 W/cm(2)) during seven selected aortic manipulations and for 10 minutes (0.5 W/cm(2)) intermittently after cross-clamp removal. Transcranial Doppler-based quantification of microembolic signals was performed in all patients.

Evaluation. The use of the EmBlocker showed a significant overall reduction of the cerebral microembolic signals of 53%.

Conclusions. The use of the EmBlocker during valve surgeries is associated with a reduction of perioperative cerebral microembolic signals. This new technology holds the potential to lower the risk of postoperative neurologic complications.