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Updated: May 13, 2026
Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 26, 2013
[Percutaneous closure of left atrial appendage: a new hope for patients with atrial fibrillation?]
G Girod1, A Delabays, E Eeckhout
1Service de cardiologie, CHUV, Lausanne. gregoire.girod@hopitalvs.ch
Insights
Left atrial appendage closure effectively reduces stroke risk in atrial fibrillation patients, offering an alternative to blood thinners for those with bleeding concerns.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cardiac Electrophysiology
- Interventional Cardiology
Context:
- Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a prevalent cardiac arrhythmia associated with a significant risk of thromboembolic events.
- Current treatments like oral anticoagulation carry inherent hemorrhagic risks.
- The left atrial appendage (LAA) is the primary source of thrombi in 90% of AF cases.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the efficacy of percutaneous left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) in reducing thromboembolic events.
- To assess LAAC as an alternative to long-term anticoagulation, particularly in high-bleeding-risk patients.
Summary:
- A recent randomized study demonstrated that LAAC device implantation significantly decreases thromboembolic events compared to warfarin, even after oral anticoagulation interruption.
- This innovative technique is supported by recent data as a viable alternative to prolonged anticoagulation therapy.
Impact:
- LAAC provides a crucial therapeutic option for AF patients, especially those unsuitable for long-term anticoagulation due to bleeding risks.
- This approach has the potential to improve patient outcomes and reduce the burden of stroke in the AF population.
Abstract:
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. The risk of thromboembolic events is important, and at that time, there is no definite treatment for AF. Oral anticoagulation also represents a hemorrhagic risk factor. Ninety percent of atrial thrombi are located within the left atrial appendage. The percutaneous closure of this left atrial appendage with a device has been shown to decrease thromboembolic events even after interruption of oral anticoagulation as compared to warfarin in a recent randomized study. Recent data support this innovative technique as a reasonable alternative to long term anticoagulation in patients at high risk of bleeding.
