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Updated: May 6, 2026

The WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 28, 2012
Amplatzer Amulet left atrial appendage occluder entrapment through mitral valve
Jose María González-Santos1, María Elena Arnáiz-García, Antonio Arribas-Jiménez
1Cardiac Surgery Department, University Hospital of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.
Abstract:
We report on a 77-year-old woman in whom percutaneous left atrial appendage (LAA) closure was performed. The patient had a left atrial myxoma resection 3 years previously, and 2 years later, she suffered a transient ischemic attack. Atrial fibrillation was detected and anticoagulation therapy was established. An episode of intracranial bleeding forced interruption of anticoagulation. Thus, percutaneous LAA closure with an Amplatzer Amulet LAA Occluder (St Jude Medical) was proposed. During the procedure, the LAA occluder migrated and became trapped in the mitral valve. Secondary massive mitral regurgitation and hemodynamic instability forced emergent cardiac surgery. Successful removal of the Amplatzer Amulet LAA Occluder was achieved.
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