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Updated: Mar 3, 2026

The WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 28, 2012
A left atrial appendage thrombus that developed during prophylactic low-dose dabigatran treatment resolved after
Taku Koyama1, Yoritaka Otsuka1,2, Masaaki Kawahara1
1Department of Cardiology Fukuoka Wajiro Hospital Fukuoka Japan.
We describe a case of atrial fibrillation in which an intracardiac thrombus that could not be prevented with "low-dose" dabigatran treatment was resolved by switching to apixaban treatment. Thrombolysis using direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) could be a therapeutic option for patients with intracardiac thrombi, although the efficacies of different DOACs seem to differ and need further examination.
We describe a case of atrial fibrillation in which an intracardiac thrombus that could not be prevented with "low-dose" dabigatran treatment was resolved by switching to apixaban treatment. Thrombolysis using direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) could be a therapeutic option for patients with intracardiac thrombi, although the efficacies of different DOACs seem to differ and need further examination.
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