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Updated: Dec 30, 2025
Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 26, 2013
First Experience of Transcatheter Leak Occlusion With Detachable Coils Following Left Atrial Appendage Closure
Domenico G Della Rocca1, Rodney P Horton1, Luigi Di Biase2
1Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute, St. David's Medical Center, Austin, Texas.
Objectives:
The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and efficacy of transcatheter leak closure with detachable coils in patients with incomplete left atrial appendage (LAA) closure.
Background:
Incomplete LAA closure is common after interventional therapies targeting the LAA, potentially hindering effective thromboembolic prevention. Detachable coils have found a wide range of applications for transcatheter vascular occlusion and embolization procedures.
Methods:
Thirty consecutive patients at high thromboembolic risk with clinically relevant residual leaks (mean age 72 ± 9 years, 73.3% men, mean CHA2DS2-VASc score 4.4 ± 1.4, mean HAS-BLED score 3.6 ± 0.8) underwent percutaneous closure of the LAA patency using embolization coils. Transesophageal echocardiography was performed at 60 ± 15 days post-procedure.
Results:
LAA closure had been previously attempted with the Watchman device in 25 patients, the Amulet device in 2 patients, and the LARIAT device in 3 patients. Baseline transesophageal echocardiography documented moderate and severe leaks in 20 (66.7%) and 10 (33.3%) patients, respectively. After a single procedure, 25 patients (83.3%) showed complete LAA sealing or minimal leaks. Five patients (16.7%) had moderate residual leaks; 3 patients of them were offered repeat procedures. Mean procedure and fluoroscopy times were 76 ± 41 min and 21 ± 14 min, respectively; the mean volume of iodinated contrast medium used was 80 ± 47 ml. Coil deployment was successful in all cases. The overall complication rate was 6.1%. After a median follow-up period of 54 days (range 43 to 265 days) and an average of 1.1 procedures/patient, transesophageal echocardiography revealed complete LAA sealing or negligible residual leaks in 28 patients (93.3%; 25 with no residual leak, 3 patients with minimal to mild residual leaks) and moderate residual leaks in 2 patients (6.7%).
Conclusions:
Transcatheter LAA leak occlusion using endovascular coils appears to be a safe, effective, and promising approach in patients at high echo time risk with incomplete LAA closure. (Transcatheter Leak Closure With Detachable Coils Following Incomplete Left Atrial Appendage Closure Procedures [TREASURE]; NCT03503253).
