Perioperative skin color in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation

Patients who undergo transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) may become pale during the early postoperative period. To clarify whether facial colors changed during the postoperative period, patients' skin color from before to 72 h after TAVI was measured spectrophotometrically. Factors associated with skin color were also investigated. Forehead skin color and vital signs were measured before TAVI and at 6, 18, and 72 h after TAVI in 11 patients scheduled for TAVI. Blood examinations were performed before and 18 and 72 h after TAVI. Skin color was assessed using a spectrophotometer and expressed as L* (lightness), a* (red/green), and b* (yellow/blue) according to the CIE1976L*a*b* color space. Skin lightness L* values increased at 6 and 18 h after TAVI and returned at 72 h after TAVI and a* values decreased at 6 h after TAVI. The b* values did not change perioperatively during TAVI. No associations were observed between the changes in skin color and changes in BP or laboratory data. The findings that the skin color became whitish and less reddish in the early postoperative period resembled that occurring during an acute inflammatory response. Observation of skin color is important to detect the possibility of postoperative complications.