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Updated: Feb 17, 2026
The WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 28, 2012
Safety and efficacy analysis of one-stop intervention for treating nonvalvular atrial fibrillation
Hongde Hu1, Kaijun Cui1, Jian Jiang1
1Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, West China Hospital, School of Clinic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Insights
This study shows that a combined catheter ablation and left atrial appendage (LAA) closure is a safe and effective one-stop treatment for symptomatic nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) patients at high stroke risk.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Interventional Cardiology
- Electrophysiology
Background:
- Nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) is a prevalent arrhythmia requiring management of symptoms and complications.
- Current treatment strategies focus on symptom control and reducing complication rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a combined catheter ablation and left atrial appendage (LAA) closure as a one-stop intervention for nonvalvular AF.
Main Methods:
- Thirty-four symptomatic nonvalvular AF patients with high stroke risk underwent radiofrequency catheter ablation followed by LAA closure with either Watchman device or AMPLATZER Cardiac Plug (ACP).
- Follow-up assessments at 45 days and 3 months monitored AF recurrence and stroke prevention.
Main Results:
- The one-stop intervention achieved 100% success in ablation and LAA closure without residual flow.
- No device-related thrombus or embolization occurred. No serious complications like stroke or major bleeding were observed during follow-up.
Conclusions:
- Combined catheter ablation and LAA closure is a feasible, safe, and effective one-stop treatment option.
- This approach is suitable for symptomatic nonvalvular AF patients at high risk of stroke.
Background:
Nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia. The treatment strategy for AF mainly includes controlling symptoms and decreasing the rate of complications. Our study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of combination treatment of catheter ablation and left atrial appendage (LAA) closure (one-stop intervention) in patients with nonvalvular AF.
Methods And Results:
Thirty-four patients with symptomatic AF (mean CHA2 DS2 -VASc score 4.1 ± 1.3, mean HAS-BLED score 3.8 ± 1.2) were included. Patients first received radiofrequency-based left atrial ablation, and then the Watchman device (Boston Scientific, Natick, MA, USA) or AMPLATZER Cardiac Plug (ACP) (St. Jude Medical, Inc., St. Paul, MN, USA) was implanted for LAA closure. Follow-up was performed at 45 days and 3 months after LAA closure to assess for recurrence of AF and prevent stroke. Radiofrequency ablation and LAA closure were successful in 100% of patients without evidence of residual flow at the final transesophageal echocardiography evaluation. A Watchman device was implanted in 29 (85.3%) patients, and an ACP was implanted in five (14.7%) patients. No device-related thrombus formation or embolization was identified at the 45-day or 3-month follow-up. Serious complications, including death, transient ischemic attack, ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, or major bleeding, were also not identified during the follow-ups.
Conclusion:
For symptomatic patients with nonvalvular AF and a high risk of stroke, the one-stop intervention is feasible, safe, and efficacious.
