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Updated: Dec 12, 2025

Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 26, 2013
Left Atrial Cavity Thrombus and Fatal Systemic Embolization in a Stroke Patient with Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation:
Andrea Sonaglioni1, Antonio Vincenti1, Michele Lombardo1
1Department of Cardiology, Ospedale San Giuseppe Multimedica, Milan, Italy.
Abstract:
An 88-year-old male with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) and severe congestive heart failure (HF), was admitted to the Neurological Intensive Care Unit because of the acute onset of aphasia and left hemiplegia. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a left atrial (LA) cavity thrombus. Its "fatal" distal embolization to abdominal aorta occurred in a few days. These observations should lead to a cautious approach in proposing a percutaneous closure of LA appendage in older NVAF patients, with HF and/or left ventricular dysfunction and larger LA volumes, who are not adequately anticoagulated.
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