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Updated: Jun 9, 2026
Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 26, 2013
Left atrial appendage closure with Amplatzer cardiac plug in atrial fibrillation: initial European experience
Jai-Wun Park1, Armando Bethencourt, Horst Sievert
1Department of Cardiology, Asklepios Klinik Harburg, Hamburg, Germany. j.park@asklepios.com
Insights
Percutaneous left atrial appendage (LAA) closure using the Amplatzer Cardiac Plug (ACP) is a feasible option for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) at high stroke risk. Initial experience shows high procedural success with manageable complications.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Interventional Cardiology
- Medical Devices
Background:
- Thrombotic embolization from the left atrial appendage (LAA) is a primary cause of stroke in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients.
- Percutaneous LAA closure offers an alternative to anticoagulation for high-risk AF patients.
- The Amplatzer Cardiac Plug (ACP) is a novel device for LAA occlusion.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the initial human experience with the Amplatzer Cardiac Plug (ACP) for percutaneous LAA closure.
- To assess the procedural feasibility and safety of the ACP device in AF patients.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective data collection from an investigator-initiated preregistry.
- Evaluation of procedural success and safety up to 24 hours post-implantation.
- Focus on patients with paroxysmal, permanent, or persistent AF undergoing trans-septal implantation.
Main Results:
- Successful LAA occlusion was achieved in 132 out of 137 attempted cases (96%).
- Serious complications occurred in 7.0% of patients, including ischemic stroke and device embolization.
- Minor complications were generally transient and clinically insignificant.
Conclusions:
- Percutaneous implantation of the ACP device is a feasible method for LAA occlusion.
- The ACP demonstrates potential as a safe and effective alternative for stroke risk reduction in AF patients.
Background:
In most patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and stroke, there is thrombotic embolization from the left atrial appendage (LAA). Percutaneous closure of the LAA is a novel alternative for the treatment of patients with AF at a high risk of stroke, in whom long-term anticoagulation therapy is not possible or not desired. This study details the initial experience with the Amplatzer Cardiac Plug (ACP) in humans.
Methods:
Investigator-initiated retrospective preregistry data collection to evaluate procedural feasibility and safety up to 24 hr after implantation of the ACP, a nitinol device designed for percutaneous trans-septal implantation in LAA of patients with paroxysmal, permanent, or persistent AF.
Results:
In 137 of 143 patients, LAA occlusion was attempted, and successfully performed in 132 (96%). There were serious complications in 10 (7.0%) patients (three patients with ischemic stroke; two patients experienced device embolization, both percutaneously recaptured; and five patients with clinically significant pericardial effusions). Minor complications were insignificant pericardial effusions in four, transient myocardial ischemia in two, and loss of the implant in the venous system in one patient.
Conclusion:
The implantation of the ACP device is a feasible method for percutaneous occlusion of the LAA.
